


Aphrodite and Ares

by Asharf



Category: Hellsing
Genre: Action, Bram Stoker Elements, Crack Relationships, Drama, Drama & Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Romantic Angst, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 95,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26496880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asharf/pseuds/Asharf
Summary: There have been a string of strange murders in a small northern town and Seras and Alucard are sent to investigate. But this means Integra is forced to go to Ireland and work with Anderson on a resurgence of old world threats. How will each of them cope when facing down surprised desires? Romance Drama. Primarily AxS, side elements of AAxI, IxOC and generic world-building.Although this is based off the first Anime series, this is based more of the Ultimate/Manga personalities of the characters. The choice to go with the OVA storyline is to keep Walter and Anderson alive so I can write some fun stuff.
Relationships: Alexander Anderson/Integra Hellsing, Alucard/Seras Victoria, Integra Hellsing/Original Character(s)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 80





	1. The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> After originally posting this work on FanFiction, I decided to re-upload it here, mostly because I personally read more Hellsing fic from here, so I thought it was worth the effort. I'll be slowly uploading the allready written chapters I have, so it might be worth checking my account on FanFic if you're hungry for more as I tend to post new chapters there first. My username is the same as here. Hope you enjoy, Ciao x

Sir Integra held the delicate letter between her gloved fingers. Sir Penwood, an old family friend and fellow member of the Round Table had written to her. The flowing and elegant handwriting failed to disguise the ugly reality of the letter's contents. Pressing her lips together in frustration, she crumpled the letter into her fist and threw it down into the ashtray. Pulling her lighter from her desk drawer, she lit a cigar; glaring down at the offending stationary. Smoke pooled in her lungs as she drank deeply from the cigar.

Walter, her ever faithful retainer, had been occupied with laying out her evening tea and looked up at the noise.

"Not good news I presume, Sir?" he asked, the barest hint of sarcasm edging his words. His face offered no indication of amusement when Integra looked, but she was sure she heard a level of entertainment in his voice. He had to know what was in the letter when he handed it to her that morning. Sir Penwood was one of the few members of the Round Table that she had a personal connection with. He had acted as her godfather and guardian upon her father's death and helped her ascension to the Hellsing organisations helm. He was one of the few who could write to her on personal matters such as this.

"No". Her reply short and biting, with no attempt to hide her irritation. As she spoke the smoke danced upwards from her lips and dissipated out towards the ceiling. "I have received another letter from Sir Penwood concerning my marital status and lack of an heir." She let the sentence hang in the air, like a dead rat, as she tapped the ashes of her cigar over the letter, singing the edges of the expensive stationary. "I've been told that it's time for a husband." She paused taking a long drag of her cigar. "Apparently the entire round table is becoming _concerned_ at my lack of progression in the marriage department." She spat the words out as though they stung her mouth. Pushing away from her desk she stood and turned towards the large window behind her desk, her movements sharp and impulsive.

"Indeed…" Walter murmured, a knowing smile gracing his lips. "It seems as though this is an issue you can no longer ignore, Sir Integra" he placed two mall china cups on saucers and pored tea into both. His own he took with milk and a single sugar cube. The other he made strong with a slice of fresh lemon floating in the cup. He watched as Integra continued to bristle in agitation, as she watched the sunset, its orange light reflecting off her round glasses. It had not been the first letter of this kind that had arrived at the house of Hellsing, but they had been coming with more frequency and fervour in recent months. All had been either ignored or responded to with the same approximate answer. _'Bugger off'._

After receiving one too many of these letters, Sir Penwood had arrived at the mansion itself, along with a few other comity members to pressure the heiress into considering her options. The arguments had been long and were dreadfully loud. The older members, Sir Ions and Sir Walsh had been the most adamant for Integra to marry a selected young nobleman of their choice. Sir Shelby Penwood, and his son Sir William Penwood had taken a more moderate stance, pleading only that she consider attending social functions in order to meet someone. But Sir Integra had been adamant in her refusal to marry at all. Walter shuddered to remember how the shouting matches had woken the vampires from their daily slumber and drawn them to defend their shared master from the verbal assault. Guns had been pulled and more than one nasty thing had been said. It had taken Walter's best dinner service and diplomatic skills to find any semblance of equanimity between the parties concerned.

Pushing the memory back, he approached his boss, both hot beverages in hand, offering her one. She glanced at him from the side of her eye, before placing her still lit cigar in the ashtray and taking her own cup. She watched as the still lit end burnt a hole through the letter and smiled at the petty destruction.

"Burning it won't stop him sending more, ma'am" Walter reprimanded, taking a sip from his cup. He revelled in the sweet warm taste.

"No, but it makes me feel better" she sniped back. She felt a twinge of guilt at the elderly retainers disapproving look, and took a sip of her tea. "Do you really think it is as urgent as they say it is?" she queried, in an attempt to smooth over the awkwardness.

"I am not omniscient; I cannot see when exactly what is necessary and what is not." Walter kept his voice jovial. His answer was ruder than would have traditionally been allowed, but his long standing relationship with the woman had earnt him a level of familiarity that others did not have. "But I understand their concern. It has been nearly ten years since Incognito's attack on London. Ten years since Miss Seras joined us. You are nearly thirty now" he took a sip of his tea and smiled at the dissatisfied grunt that came from Sir Integra.

"Am aware of my age Walter" she murmured in warning

"Of course, Sir, I meant no offence. Only I meant to say that as a woman you are not so fortunate as to be able to have children as late as a man in your position would." He licked his lips in apprehension, aware that discussing a ladies age was an impolite subject. "I am certain that the Round Table's primary concern is the producing of an heir to lead the Hellsing organisation. You have done so well these past years it'd be a shame to lose your family's expertise, I'm sure." he watched the ghost of a smile on Integra's face, quickly hidden behind the fine china of the teacup as she took a sip.

"Flattery Walter?" her voice rang with mirth at his suggestion.

"A little, but not strictly untrue either" he chuckled slightly before taking a more serious tone. "I suppose they are looking to secure the bindings of Alucard and Seras also. They are too powerful to be allowed to roam free". Walters face displayed a small mix of sympathy in the glistening of his eyes. Integra watched the old man by her side, and wondered how much he truly did pity the midians of the house. He, above all held the closest relationship with them both. He had fought alongside Alucard on battlefields, before she was even out of nappies. He was also friendly with Seras, perhaps not as much as her fellow soldiers were, but certainly more than herself. She wondered if he pitied them because they were condemned to eternal servitude, or eternal damnation in hell should they die in it.

"I suppose that's a good enough reason" was all she could mutter, a frown gracing her own features. "But marriage Walter. Can you really see me doing that? Motherhood too. I don't think I'd even know how. My whole life and all I've known is battle and carnage. Soldiers and bloodshed. That's already a lot to ask a partner to enter into, never mind a child"

"I agree Miss. Your father felt the same when he married, and I felt something similar when he died, and you were left on your own." The retainer's eyes became glassy as he recalled old memories, a gentle smile on his face once again. "You were such a small baby, your father thought you would shatter in his arms. Your mother, god rest her soul, had delivered you so early he hadn't even had time to come to terms with your arrival. But you were so strong, and as you grew up you only got stronger." He turned to integra with a smile in place. "I admit that I have always hoped to see what kind of child you would one day have. But I fear I am too old for that now" he released a small laugh and turned to the window briefly, catching Integra's face in the reflection.

"Walter…I-I'm sorry.."

"Oh, come now Integra" he waved his hand as if to dispel her thoughts of guilt. "I do not say this to upset you, I am merely reflecting upon my own age, that is all. I am over seventy now, such thoughts are allowed to elderly'

"You are not that old, Walter" Integra took their empty cups and placed them on the desk behind her. By now the sun was halfway set, her cigar had gone out and the evening was setting in. She knew the vampires would awaken soon; she hadn't even eaten her dinner yet. The day seemed to get away from her faster and faster these days.

"Perhaps not" he replied "but nonetheless, I would be happy to attend your wedding, should you have one. Although you may need to choose a groom fast if you want me to be there" his tone once again took on a sarcastic lilt and a wicked smile ran over his features

"You're not going anywhere" snark coloured her own words as she picked up her cigar and held it to her lips before lighting it. She took a long drag, letting the smoke fill her lungs and thought briefly on her situation. She turned away, and blew the smoke out in a long tendril. "I shall choose a husband" she said with an exhausted tone. "I agree, it is about time. Although I am not sure where I will find one. Hard to find people who think _'queens warrior'_ a suitable occupation for wife and child these days"

"Don't forget your pet vampires"

"Oh God, if only I could Walter. If only I could"


	2. Chapter 2 - Good Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alucard and Seras Awake to a new evening, and a new mission. Be aware this chapter contains references to gore, blood and violence against children, so please continue with discretion.

Seras groggily blinked herself awake. Rubbing her eyes she rolled onto her back, the darkness of her coffin comforting her early rising. Eight years into her creation she had grown used to her basic powers and was easily able to sense the setting of the sun. She could tell that it had only just sunk below the horizon line. Back when she had originally joined Hellsing, her sleeping arrangements had been much different. She had originally been given something more akin to a four poster bed with a descending lid, which kept the sunlight out.

However, once she had been there for five years Alucard had insisted that she sleep in a proper coffin, one becoming of a _real_ Draculina. She had complained at the time, wary of sleeping in anything so macabre, but that had all changed when she had seen what her bed was replaced with.

Her coffin was wider and longer than any she had seen before, and had been made of a beautiful rich coloured wood. It was incredibly heavy, taking six of Hellsing's stronger soldiers to get it into her room without damage. The lid was embossed with a Latin inscription, filled in with gold leaf. The corners had been carved to depict a myriad of dancing women and animals. When she had asked, she had been told that they were depictions of Maenads and Nymphs dancing in ritual trance. They were utterly gorgeous. Each wore Grecian style robes that flowed off of their bodies, some of the women's bare chests were even exposed, their dresses caught in an eternal phantom breeze. Apparently the soil of her birthplace lined the coffins interior, but when she had opened it, she had found only gorgeous burgundy silk lining and a luxurious amount of comfortable padding.

When she had asked Walter about why she had such an elaborate coffin, he had dismissively replied that it was made to Alucard's specifications. She had thought it slightly odd at the time, but reasoned that the older vampire must have had his reasons for such an ostentatious choice. Either way she wasn't going to complain about owning such a beautiful and comfortable item.

Sighing, Seras lifted her coffin's lid, sat up and tested the strength of her mental barriers. With her growing age she had learnt a few new tricks, eventually weaselling them out from her master. Once she had decided to dink blood of her own free choice her powers had come fast and strong. The learning curve had been sharp but worth it.

Master had taught her small things at first, like shadow manipulation and minor telekinetic powers. She had learnt to create her own mental barriers and bypass other peoples. Rubbing her temples she remembered all the headaches Alucard had inflicted upon her in training. Occasionally he would still surprise her out of nowhere with a full-frontal mental assault, just to test her.

" _An enemy won't just knock politely and ask permission Police Girl. You must be ready for attacks at all times"_

His mentorly warning still rang in her mind, loud and painful. It was good advice, and not entirely incorrect, but she knew his attacks were done more for his own amusement, rather than her training. Every now and again, she caught him gently pressing at the edge of her mind, whereupon she'd either push him out or ignore his presence. Apart from this, he was content to leave her mind alone most of the time.

Shaking her head, Seras swung her legs up and out of the coffin and walked towards her wardrobe. Grabbing a towel, clean underwear and a fresh maroon uniform from inside, she sighed and looked at her reflection in the wardrobe mirror. Her own red eyes stared back at her. Alucard had once told her that she could summon familiars from mirrors, but she'd not managed to summon a complete one yet. He had produced elegant hounds and snakes upon command, but the furthest she had got was a small fox. It had dissipated into shadows as soon as it touched the floor. She hadn't tried again since.

Slamming the door in frustration she turned and trudged towards her en-suite, intent on having a burning hot shower. Her bathroom was fairly large and not entirely unwelcoming. Her rooms had been renovated back in 2005, to add modern conveniences and plumbing from a more recent century. She wasn't sure if her master had been offered the same amenities as her, and what little she had seen of his room offered her no answers either.

The renovations in her bedroom had been minimal, aside from the coffin. The addition of some plug sockets here, a new rug or sofa there. Most of the furniture had remained same. The real changes came from the personal items she had added to space. Photos, clothes and a couple of fake plants. Nothing real could survive in the sunless confides of her room.

The bathroom, however had been completely torn out and replaced. Not that Seras minded. The previous one had been a truly awful space, clearly never built to be used by anyone. She now had a shower and a large bathtub, a sink with running water and even a toilet. The walls and floors had been replaced with expensive slate, and what felt like under floor heating. In the colder months Seras had warmed her toes up on the floor, sat on the toilet playing games on her new phone.

Turning on the shower she let the water run a while till it was hot, stripping herself of her pyjamas. Placing her dirty clothes in a hamper and her clean ones on wooden stool, she stepped under the flow of water and let it warm her skin. Her vampiric state made her cold to the touch, to humans at least, and the bitter air of the basement didn't help the situation. Her showers, despite their lack of necessity, were one of the few luxuries she could experience in her alone time. Baths were the only thing that beat them. She always filled them with essential oils and dried petals, soaking for hours in watery bliss. But she didn't have time for that tonight. Scrubbing herself clean, she was eventually happy with her new level of warmth and decided to step out, dry off and get dressed.

Seras wiped the bathroom mirror free of condensation and looked at her reflection again. She wished she could form her clothes from shadows, like her master, but it was a skill she had yet to conquer. She had minor control, able to repair a hole in a garment or a smaller stain, but not a whole outfit. The first time she had actually managed to complete an outfit with shadows she had run to Alucard preening like a schoolchild. He had seemed almost impressed, right up until she lost her concentration and the outfit fell away from her body like black sand, as she was left standing in his room in only her underwear. She snorted at the memory.

"Right bloody fool I was." Master had such a huge smirk on him, and his laugh echoed behind her as she ran back to her rooms. "I couldn't face him for months after that." She muttered shamefully.

Peering at herself she concentrated on her damp hair, pooling her limited shadows around it attempting to drain out all of the water. Feeling her shadows coat her hair in warmth, she concentrated on pulling the water away from her hair and into floating ball over the sink. Surprisingly, she managed quite well, her hair came out shiny, and straight, with only a small but persistent damp spot at the nape of her neck. Her hair was a little longer now than when she had turned, reaching juts past her shoulders. She let the water fall into the sink with a quiet splash, and tied her hair back securely. Pushing away from the sink she pulled on her underwear and uniform. She had managed to invest in nice quality undergarments over the years, but she never wore them on workdays. She couldn't abide their irreparable destruction. Turning she opened the door and walked back into her bedroom, only to find her master already sat at her dining table, legs crossed; long gloved fingers interlaced.

"Good evening, Police girl". His voice rang with his usual self-assured condescension.

"Good evening, Master", she replied, her own tone developing to match his. Seras wasn't sure what it was about her master recently, but she had been enjoying their small sarcastic games in the passing months. It had started on missions, originally one of the few times they were alone together. But recently they had been talking more within the mansion itself, conversing over dinner within their rooms. These small conversations, laced with sarcasm, teasing and possibly flirting were becoming a regular occurrence. It seemed that tonight was no different. Seras knew he enjoyed it just as much as she did, although she was unsure if it was for the same reason.

Ignoring him briefly she walked over to a simple but plush sofa at the side of her room, and pulled on her boots. When she looked up she noticed two large ice buckets each filled with blood bags sat beside her master on the dining table.

"Is that hungry look in your eyes directed at me, or our dinner Seras Victoria?" her eyes flittered slowly to Alucard's. With his tinted glasses removed she could see a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. Looking closer she noticed a much deeper emotion, one she didn't quite understand and gave her a small quivering feeling her stomach.

"Why, my dinner, Master. What on earth else could I be looking at?" she fluttered her eyelashes at him in an imitation of innocence. She tried her best to saunter over, although such a feat was hard to achieve in her military uniform, and placed herself in the chair opposite his. Alucard made no response to her comment other than a maniacal smile, and the removal his hat, which he placed on the table. He sat before her, without his traditional crimson trench coat, although he still wore a black blazer and full suit.

He casually removed the blood packs from their buckets, pouring each one into exceedingly large wine glass, before throwing the empty packets into a bin. His own blood he mixed with wine, and Seras's he kept neat, but placed it just out of her reach, on his side of the table.

Depriving me of a meal, Sir?" she teased, fingers curling with amusement and hunger.

"Never, Police Girl." He leaned back into his chair and smirked over his wine glass, taking a luxuriously long sip. "come here and get it" he tilted his head to the side, his recline becoming even more relaxed than she would have thought possible in such a small chair.

Seras stood slowly and walked over to his side of the table. She stood less than a foot and a half away from him and gingerly picked up the glass, cautious he may snatch it away as part of the game. However, once her glass was in hand, she demurely sipped the red liquid, watching Alucard through half closed lids. Her mind raced at the thought of sitting on his lap or pulling in close to him, but she knew she couldn't. Whilst their flirtation was evident, and she longed to make it more, she was certain this was just some form of entertainment to him. She couldn't risk getting emotionally involved with a man who was clearly never going to reciprocate her feelings. She was still a virgin, but she was not so naïve to think that the physical pleasure would be worth the heartache. No. For now the flirting would do. Leaning back against the table she drank from her glass more deeply.

"Do we have a mission tonight, Alucard?". The elder vampire looked up ; drinking in her appearance, lingering on the exposed flesh of her legs and neck. The amused flirtation still simmered in his gaze, but his tone held a little professionalism when he spoke.

"Hmm, yes. I am tasked with a contain and destroy mission in Brixton this evening." His nose wrinkled slightly at the thought of the hunt he'd be having tonight.

"And me? What will I be doing while you're off galivanting round London?" Seras smiled at him, teasing him only slightly with her tone.

"You" he said with long drawn out tone "You are off to a small town in Yorkshire called Pickerington, I believe." He drank from his own glass and reached a hand towards her, his fingers brushing her thigh lightly before he casually took her hand, his thumb stroking her knuckles.

"That a far way? I doubt I'll be able to get there and back in one evening, let alone dispatch anything" she spoke her considerations aloud, but looked at him for confirmation.

"Clever girl" he muttered with a tilt of the head. "Your evening will be spent travelling, setting up base camp, organising your troops and gathering preliminary information." He removed his had from hers to pull a beige file from shadows dancing at his shoulder and handed it to her. "This contains all the specifics Police Girl, read it and report to our Master once you're done. She wants to make sure you're clear on the specifics before you go" His tone had become bored and disinterested, not unusual for her master during such conversation topics.

Opening the file and flipping through the contents Seras recited one of the field report summaries "A small village, previously inhabited by long standing families was found abandoned after a series of supposed hauntings." She read the first couple incident summaries and snorted. "Is that all master? I'm hardly needed for something like a haunting, we'd need a priest for that"

"Keep reading police girl" his voice held an edge of seriousness that she wasn't expecting. Frowning she put her wine glass down and read on, flicking through with both hands

"My god" she muttered, her voice wavering in apprehension. "Alu-Master, is this serious?" He offered her nothing in response, except silently draining his own glass and making to stand. He reached for his hat, his face passing by her own by centimetres. She felt his breath on her cheek, his breath jostling her hair.

"It's no joke, I'm afraid Seras" he grasped the brim of his trilby and pulled back an inch to look her in the eye. I'll join you assoon as I can, don't do anything rash my little fledgling. You're strong, but something has been feeding on children and leaving their bones in desecrated piles." The disgust in his voice was evident "Whatever is there is cunning and evil, and wont pause to consider your innocence. The flesh of these children will have made it strong too. Your main objective is to save the survivors and deal with the low level threats that will have taken refuge in the abandon houses. Wait for me, Seras" His last words were almost a whisper. Alucard pulled away and walked to her door, his coat and glasses forming around him

"I'll wait Alucard" She said gently, turning to look at the file again. Pictures of tiny bones, covered in teeth marks and stuck in the ground filled her vision. Family photos of each child was paper-clipped to the crime scene photos. Ten children. She could feel the anger licking her stomach like hot flames. She wanted to kill whatever bastard hell creature did this, nothing deserved her fury more than this monster.

Downing her own glass of blood, she snapped the file shut and turned to her master. He was regarding her through the orange tinted glasses, his face covered in shadow.

"I shall leave you to prepare Police Girl. I trust you won't Dawdle". He gave her a brief nod before phasing through her door, undoubtably to see their shared master for orders. Seras licked her teeth free of the last vestiges of blood, and marched towards the door, listing all the weapons she'd need for her newest assignment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quite liked this chapter although its not as long as the later ones will be. Let me know what you guys think of these earlier chapters, and how the characters interact. even if a large amount of this fiction is written already, I'm always happy to hear any comments x. Also I'm not used to the formatting on this platform, so please let me know if there are any blaring mistakes or missing bits, I will endeavour to correct them.


	3. Mission Orders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Integra gives Seras her mission briefing, illuminating a little more about the case, and presenting her with a gift or two.

Integra sat at her office desk, reading through the reports of the night. There was a mix of different cases, but she could broadly separate them into three piles. Field reports to read and sign off on, incoming reports that were a waste of her time, and incoming reports that may require Hellising's intervention. Moving the unsigned field reports to the edge of the desk she reached for a newer case file that Walter had highlighted as important.

Frowning, she read the file, feeling her concern and she irritation growing at the back of her mind. It was another report from their Irish border forces. The small field team they had out there had consistently sending her reports for a few months now. Bodies were found drained and dried up at the edges of city lines in the areas surrounding the North/South divide of Ireland. Curiously the bodies had not only been drained of their blood but all bodily fluids, leaving them in some state of mummification. Initially she had kept her soldiers away, there was a growing number of midian attacks on the mainland, and she couldn't afford to fight on disputed territory with reduced staff. But the problem in Ireland seemed to be getting worse, and the Catholics had done nothing to help.

"What a headache" she muttered to herself. Last time they had gone to Ireland they'd run into Iscariot, and her two vampire agents had suffered a brutal attack. She had almost lost Seras to the fight and Alucard had lost his head, if only briefly. All her human field agents had died in the operation, only her own intervention had stopped any further casualties. She took a sip of whiskey from the crystal glass sat on her desk and scanned the report again, attempting to find an easy solution hidden in its pages.

A sharp but polite knock came from her door, causing her to look up from the file.

"Enter" her terse voice echoed through the empty office. Slowly the door opened to reveal Seras, dressed in her uniform, case file in hand. She marched exactly two thirds into the room and stood to attention at the front of Integras' desk.

"You wanted to see me about my mission this evening, Sir?" the young vampire asked politely.

"Hmm? Ah, yes. The Pickerington case" Snapping her file closed, Integra took her glass in hand and regarded the small woman in front of her. Occasionally she would forget just how dangerous the little Draculina could be. She was always polite, cheery and maintained a playful attitude even in the direst circumstances. She knew that Seras's powers had progress under Alucard's tutelage, but sometimes she was duped into thinking she was the same naïve girl he had saved from Cheddar all those years ago.

"It's a strange case Miss Victoria" Integra took a sip of her drink "Normally the Hellsing organisation would be unbothered by mere ghost hauntings. Traditionally events such as these would be concerns for her majesties church. But the additions of murdered children and the desecration of their bones, along with a few creature sightings, has us worried." Integra took a deep sip of whiskey, savouring the warmth of the amber liquid as it ran across her tongue "We have reason to believe that this may be the work of some kind of boggart or creature from the moors that surround the village. Usually these creatures have left the human populations alone, being content to eat stray sheep and pets that wander into their territory."

Seras shifted from one foot to another in agitation "So they don't normally attack humans?" she asked, curiosity coating her words.

"Not exactly" Integra muttered. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a cigar and lit it, taking a long drag before continuing her discourse. "They have hunted humans before, but the last report we have is from the second world war. Since then they've been keeping mostly to themselves" She regarded Seras briefly before leaning forwards. "We suspect that something dire has caused this change in behaviour, your primary mission is to discover the root cause of this change and put a stop to it, Miss Victoria. That being said, these creatures have still injured, killed and eaten humans, particularly children. Hellsing's mission remains as always. Destroy the rogue monsters, leave no trace of them behind and recover any survivors left in the village."

"Yes Sir!" Victoria saluted quickly, offering a small nod. "I'm going to bring my usual team of ten operatives, with Rodgers as my second. He's from the area and he might insight that proves beneficial, Sir."

"Very good." Integra tilted her head to the side in consideration for a second, before placing her glass and cigar down and walking over to a cabinet on the far side of the room. "Take these with you Seras, the village is small, and your typical cannon won't be useful in the tighter spaces" Integra produced two ornate and powerful looking guns from deep inside the cabinet. The first was modern looking pistol but it had a longer barrel and clip than shed seen any of the other soldiers caring. It had engravings down the side in what she thought was Latin, alongside ornate depiction of the Hellsing crest on the grip. Integra handed it to her and Seras tested the weight in her hand, before clipping the gun and its holster to her utility belt.

"That gun should do for most medium and short range targets. The bullets are silver and will put any fiend down. With a good shot, of course." Integra's tone was professional, but she couldn't hide her pride in the weaponry she kept. The second gun she held was larger and sat in a holster meant to be tied to the back. Offering it to the Police Girl she explained the details whilst Seras appreciated the weaponry. "That is a semi-automatic pump action shotgun. It has received the customary modifications to increase its damage, with custom rounds including magnesium and incendiary silver shells. That should do if anything proves more problematic at close range. Carry these with pride and care Miss Victoria"

"Yes Sir!" Seras excitedly echoed at her boss. Running her hangs up the gun, she took a moment to appreciate the weapon, before strapping it to her back.

"Good. I expect an update upon your arrival and continuing ones as the situation progresses. You have a phone, use it" Integra received a polite nod from her vampire, before deciding she was content with the preparations. "Dismissed. Join your men outside barrack block five, the vehicles, ammunition and basecamp essentials are waiting for you there."

"Thank you, Good evening Integra, Sir!" Seras offered one last Salute before gliding out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Integra released a breath and walked over to her desk, pressing the coms receiver to contact the main desk.

"Send Walter and Wadsworth up would you. I have an important call to make" The man at the front desk offered her a short confirmation and within five minutes the two men entered her office. Wadsworth was currently acting as Walters replacement in training. Dressed in a smart butlers he was a well-built man, in his forties. He'd clearly been trained in defensive skills, as most of the household staff had, and he carried himself with the kind elegance that reminded her of a dancer. His hair was brown and swept back in a neat style, and his eyes were of a golden colour always sparkling with alertness.

Initially Integra had resisted the insertion of a new member of staff, but as the years wore on, she had become aware of the necessity. Wadsworth had been hired after his previous employer, a fellow member of the round table, Sir Lucan, had died. Whilst the soldiers and the house had been inherited by Sir Lucan's son, the household staff had been dismissed, due to the son's own entourage entering the house with him. Integra had hired Wadsworth, along with a few other minor household staff, including a cooks and a new lady's maid. Integra had insisted that she was in no need of a personal maid, but Walter had reminded her that such the addition may be necessary with the possibility of marriage and eventual children on the horizon.

Integra sighed and shook her head free of such thoughts. She dearly wished to avoid such subjects, even in her own mind.

"Walter, Wadsworth, I have some business to discuss" She sat at her desk, landing heavily in the chair. She was growing tired,. She usually kept late hours, but this evening she felt more strained than usual.

Both men nodded in acknowledgement and waited patiently for her to continue.

"It seems we have a few issues along the Irish border. As you might remember from out last excursion there, we ended up battling the Iscariots as well as the vampire threat. We cannot afford that risk again. I fear we may have to come up with an unpleasant alternative"

"Indeed Sir" It was Walter who spoke first. "Iscariot has grown more influential in Ireland, and with both of our vampire agents in the field for the next few nights, our normal forces would not survive long if fighting a battle on two fronts."

"It would be easier if we could work with them for once" Integra muttered, taking a drag of her cigar.

"Are we considering an alliance?" The query came from Wadsworth, who looked more than a little perturbed "With the Catholics?"

"A compromise, a momentary suspension of combat to fight against a larger issue" Integra spoke calmly, her gaze fixed on the night sky beyond her window. "Iscariot has not made a move to protect the people in Northern Ireland yet, but the attacks are becoming more prominent. These crimes cannot go un-checked any longer. We must fight to protect our countries interests. Even if we must fight alongside Catholics." She let a small smile pull at the corner of her lips.

"Shall I send out a letter to the Vatican office in London?" Walter chimed, his usual cheery sarcasm coating his words.

"Unless you can find an alternative solution?' Integra asked hopefully

"We could hire out some mercenaries" suggested Wadsworth, clearly more than a little put out by the prospect of working alongside Iscariot. A cynical habit no doubt deriving from his previous employer. "Sir Lucan used to hire specific groups on his travels around Europe. I am sure they will be happy to work for you now that he has passed."

Integra briefly considered his words, wondering if it was at all possible to avoid the heinous Catholics bastards. "I'm afraid not Wadsworth" her nose wrinkled; lips pulling into a sneer. "The mission will need to be a small and closely held operation. We can't afford to put our trust in people we haven't worked with before." She grabbed her abandoned whiskey and took a sip. "We'll take a couple of our veteran operatives, plus those already in Ireland should already be enough"

"We, Sir?" Wadsworth's face grew, if possible, more concerned.

"Yes, we. I shall be going with them on this mission"

"Do you think that wise, Sir Integra?" Walter's voice remained level, but the concern was notable.

"We have no choice. Iscariot will dispatch my men, or hide things from us if I'm not there. Considering Alucard cannot be trusted, and by proxy neither can Seras, I shall join the mission."

"Sir I do hope that this is not just an attempt to avoid the social engagements you have made regarding the acquisition of a fiancé?" Shockingly it was Wadsworth's rather sarcastic tone that had voiced the concern.

"Why Wadsworth" she smirked back at him "I think you're finally starting get the rhythm of this place, aren't you?"

He offered her a charming smile and bowed his head.

"Thank you, Sir"

Integra snorted and turned to look back out her window. These next few nights would be very interesting indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Integra and Seras scene. I often find these two hard to write because they don't interact overmuch and their personalities are so opposite when they are this young. I feel like I'm gonna have to bend them into being a little friendlier with one another. I'm taking more inspiration form the end of the series because they seem to get on well then, but it's still not perfect in this earlier chapter. Either way, we get to see both ladies handling weapons, which is nice.


	4. Dextera Domini

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexanders Anderson is approached in the orphanage with the offering of a new mission, he is reluctant to leave, but knows he must do the work of his god.

* * *

#### In a small village on the outskirts of Rome

* * *

Alexander Anderson watched as the sun gently rose over the orphanage grounds. The building was old and occasionally draughty, and as September had drawn towards them the chill had come also. He had taken a small walk to the eastern gardens in the hopes of warming himself with the first of the sun's rays, but even Italy was still prone to chilling winds in the autumn.

The children were yet to rise, but the sisters were already at work, attending mass, collecting water from the well and preparing the morning meal. Standing in the archway of the gardens he watched as their small allotments gave way to fields of golden wheat, blowing in the gentle morning breeze. He enjoyed his work at the orphanage, it was more a home to him than anywhere else. He had lived here for longer than he could truly remember, having raised many children to adulthood. Many of those who worked within the Vatican considered this place their first home. It was not un unpleasant place to live when he was not on missions, he enjoyed having good work to do when his hands became idle.

He heard Sister Beatrice approaching before she had even turned the corner of the veranda. Her recognisable footsteps were unusually heavy and hurried as they approached him. From the sounds of it, she was not alone. Anderson tilted his head in an attempt to recognise the second person. The sound of rubber heeled shoes on stone told him all he needed to know. Turning to face the pair he locked his gaze on the flustered nun and of the agitated face of Bishop Enrico Maxwell.

"OH!" the shrill cry Sister Beatrice reached his ears with an ear-numbing ache. Visits from head office had a tendency to make her nervous. She rushed towards him; her target finally located. "Father Anderson! Oh, Father Anderson!" He smiled at the nervous woman, her face red and blotchy from the run through the orphanage.

"Good mornin' Sister Beatrice. I see we have a guest. What is it that brings ya to us on this fine day Bishop Maxwell?" He kept his voice cheery and polite, best not to feed into the hysteria of the sister. He couldn't cope with it so early in the morning. "Something urgent I suspect, eh?"

"Indeed" Maxwell sounded stern and unimpressed, and perhaps a little more grumpy than usual. "You're needed on a mission in Ireland. It's a troubling case" Maxwell ground his teeth together, something about the assignment was clearly causing uneasiness.

"What is it Maxwell? Vampires?" Anderson laughed, "Irritating buggers back again?"

"No, not Vampires. At least we don't think so"

"Not Vampires, then what? More of those chipped ones? Daemons?"

"No, it is not them either. It's certainly some unholy monster, but at this point we cannot confirm our suspicions" Maxwell looked briefly at the sister before waving a hand at her to dismiss her presence. She took a brief glance towards Father Anderson before excusing herself and walking towards the dining hall. Maxwell waited for her to disappear inside before beginning his conversation with hushed tones

"Unfortunately, it seems that this problem is more complicated than we first thought" Anderson raised an eyebrow but said nothing of his colleague's strange behaviour. "It appears the attacks have been happening for some while. Normally we would expect our faithful followers in the region to have dealt with the issue, but it appears they have failed to make contact for several months and can no longer be reached by our head office."

"Well tha's no a good sign" Anderson's accent grew heavier as he thought about the implications of the statement.

"It is not. And worse of all the attacks have finally garnered the attention of that Hellsing bitch "

"I suppose you mean Sir Integra Hellsing?" Anderson's mouth twitched into unknowing smile; he could help but respect the woman. The first time they had met had been in Ireland, nearly eight years ago. She had faced him in battle without a lick of fear in her eyes. Since then they had met on a handful of occasions. Predominantly they had met when he was acting as bodyguard for some Vatican stooge sent to London to discuss one menial treaty or another. One time they had even met by accident in Rome. She had been collecting some old family heirlooms hidden by her grandfather in some such church, whilst he was on his way home after reporting to Iscariot's HQ. It had been so unexpected on his part that he had merely stood there gaping at her like a fish across the street. She had stopped to look at him, barely seeming surprised before laughing to herself and walking away. To his embarrassment it had taken him three days of trailing the blasted woman to work out her purpose for visiting the city, only to find out all she was after was some old books. His smile grew imperceptibly wider at the memory. She was not a bad adversary to have.

"So, what's this got to do with me Maxwell?" He asked, attempting to maintain his focus

"Hellsing has contacted us. They've asked for a collaborative mission. The fact that it's on both sides of the border means they think they have claim to the area" Maxwell clicked his tongue in irritation. "And with our own forces in the area limited, it may benefit to have their presence on the mission"

"Is the Vatican not worried about the Heathen woman's influence on the area?"

"It is legally their territory, and after your last mission went pear shaped, the northern Irish government has resisted our attempts to establish a base of operations there" Maxwell's tone grew harsh and sharp. "Since you have previous experience with the Hellsing group, HQ has suggested you should be present for the operation."

Anderson turned his back on the man and faced the fields of wheat again "What are ya sayin' Maxwell?"

"Your flight to Ireland is in four hours, you'll find the mission particulars on the plane." Maxwell walked closer to the priest, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "You'll be a lone agent for now, the fewer agents we send out the less likely we are to be noticed. Unfortunately, it looks like the Hellsing sow herself will be working the mission." He took a breath "Be careful of her Anderson. Women like that breed the devil inside them"

Anderson had the good humour to look amused at the comment. "Are ya warning me of the dangers of women Enrico Maxwell?" He let out a tight laugh. "I'm afraid that seems a little redundant considering I gave it to you first, or have ye forgotten that I raised you?"

Maxwell gave no indication that he had heard Andersons comment, and continued on. "The Vatican's mission, despite Hellsing's presence, hasn't changed. You will act as gods weapon, you go before him and spread his wisdom and peace. Blessed be your mission and your actions before the lord"

"Amen". Anderson crossed his shoulders and watched as Maxwell did the same and tuned to leave.

"Four hours Anderson, eat something before you get on the plane. It's unlikely you'll get a good meal for a day or two" The bishop tossed a wave over his shoulder before walking towards the main exit of the building.

Alexander briefly considered the preparations he'd have to make. He hadn't expected Integra would be on the mission. This may complicate things in the long run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I originally wrote this, Anderson was actually written to be more of antagonist in the story, but as I continued, I realised I quite enjoyed writing him in a more sympathetic style. I think out of all the characters, he is one of the more changed in this fiction, second to Seras, who I often find a little overtly helpless and naive in many fanfics and Integra who is perhaps a little bland for romance. Don't get me wrong, her original character is amazing, and totally suited for the feel of Hellsing, but as the genre changes, her character has to change a little too?
> 
> I digress, I like to think that I keep Anderson somewhat true to his original form, if perhaps a little more likeable? Honestly, I just enjoy the contrast he brings to the moody environment he often finds himself in, and enjoy how he bounces off other characters. His being alive is one of the main reason I chose this timeline/universe. I cant give up a snarky Scotsman, no matter how hard I try!


	5. Arklay Cottage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras makes it to the mission base camp, but first she has to make sure the area is clear of enemies, and her men are ready for battle.

Saras groaned as the truck came to a sudden stop. The drive up to Pickerington had been long and uncomfortable. They were carrying more equipment than usual missions, and even with two trucks she had felt awfully cramped the back. Her patience ran out just around when Private Hicks had elbowed her in the ribs for the third time that evening. She had crawled out the back of the moving truck, and onto the roof just to get some breathing room. The wind had been strong, and the light rain would have made her sodden, but her shadows had protected her well enough. She reasoned she needed to practice with them anyways.

Keen to get to work Seras quickly hopped down off the truck and assessed her surroundings. They had arrived at a set of three abandoned cottages a few miles out from the village. The reports had shown minimal to no strange activity in the area, and it held the strategic advantage of having a minimal amount of high ground from the village itself. Seras had chosen to make it a base camp for her squad, marking out the third cottage as having the best facilities for a communications base, with one and two acting as sleeping quarters for the men.

The homes had a traditional design, with wooden shutters and brightly coloured doors. The idyllic facades and manicured gardens seemed out of place surrounded by the dingy gloom caused by September's rain. The cottages sat on the hill looking like untouched doll houses; devoid of soul and life despite their pretty exteriors. Seras felt a chill at the base neck, and she pulled her shadows protectively towards herself. A single bead of water trickled down her back. Perhaps she had not protected herself from the rain as well as she had thought.

"You sense anything wrong with them Seras?" It was Rodgers, her second in command, who spoke. She was close enough to him that his use of her personal name wasn't a bother when they were speaking privately.

"Hmm?" she made a confused noise and watched as he gestured dismissively at the cottages. Did he sense something strange about them too?

"In there Ma'am. Are the buildings clear of combatants?" His thick northern accent did little to hide his amusement at her clear distraction.

"Oh, right." She reprimanded herself internally, irritated at being caught acting unprofessionally.

Turning to face the cottages again, she watched the windows, looking for any sign of movement. Nothing. She tilted her head slightly, trying to hear any heartbeats or movement from within the houses, but all she could hear was the lively heartbeats and conversation of from her troops. Her face must have shown some stray amount of concern as Rodgers spoke; all amusement lost from his tone.

"Something wrong ma'am?" he moved slightly in the corner of her eye, a hand hovering over his holstered pistol. She paid this no mind; it was no doubt a reflex of his excellent military training

"I can't tell if the buildings are clear, there's too much noise out here for me to tell" she glanced at the sky with brief interest. They still had a good few hours of darkness left. Thanks to the shorter days of autumn, she was granted more hours of darkness to work in. However, that didn't mean she wanted to spend all evening clearing out base camp alone. She needed to get down to the town itself; if only to get her initial investigation started.

"We need to get these buildings cleared and prepped for our base camp." Seras took her pistol out of its holster and barked orders at the officers behind her. "Corporal Woods, take Thompson and Hicks and sweep the gardens, Rodgers and I will search the interiors. Sargent Coleman, take everyone else and organise the supplies, I want this area secured and the equipment ready to install once we've completed the sweep"

She received an affirmative "Yes ma'am" from her troops before everyone split off into their groups. She silently motioned for Rodgers to follow her; her gun held out in front of her.

Approaching the cottage on the far right Seras casually scanned the front garden for any signs of life. The hydrangeas that framed the side of the paths swayed rhythmically in the cool breeze, and the polished stone pathway shimmered from the artificial light of the truck. A small gilded plaque that read "No. 3 Arklay Cottages" was fixed to the wall beside the door. "Strange name" she muttered to herself. Besides her Rodgers only grunted in affirmation. Having deemed there to be no threats, the pair pushed in the door and moved inside.

Seras blinked as her eyes quickly adjusted to the low lighting conditions. Whilst outside the truck's headlamps and the singular streetlamp had given the men enough light to see by, the inside of the cottages was much darker. The curtains were mostly drawn, and those that were not, only let in the minimal lighting of the failing street lamps.

Her own vampiric eyes had no issues seeing all the details of the room, but she heard Rodgers flick on a small torch, limiting his view to a small spotlight at a time. The cottage itself had clearly been lived in up until very recently. There was food, half eaten and partly decayed on the dining table. The rubbish in the bin and a sink half full of stagnant water and unwashed dishes both gave off repugnant smells of decay. Wrinkling her nose, she surveyed the open plan room. A smashed glass next to the fridge and a sofa tipped on its back indicated some signs of a struggle in the room, clearly someone had left in a hurry. She watched as Rodgers opened the door to the pantry, calling "CLEAR!" in a militaristic tone, before moving over to the stairs of the basement. Sighing to herself Seras realised the pair of them would take forever if they swept the three houses manually.

"Rodgers" she called to get his attention. He pointed his torch straight at her face, the light irritating her sensitive eyes "Bloody hell, watch it!" she scolded

"Yes ma'am. Sorry" he lowered the light

"This will take us forever going like this, I'm going to dissipate and search the residences that way, you guard the front and be prepared to shoot if I scare anything out."

He pulled a somewhat sickened expression, but nodded in affirmation anyways. As much as he liked his Captain and respected her leadership, her vampiric powers still gave him the creeps sometimes. Dissipation, as she called it, was one of her more disturbing abilities that she had developed.

Rodgers watched as the blond woman holstered her gun, and stood perfectly still, eyes focused on the wall just behind the fridge. There was an almost imperceptible smell of hot metal in the air, gone as quick as he noticed it and then it began.

It always started with her skin, which turned a sickly black, before dripping down into a puddle at her feet. Her fingers would melt like burning candles, revealing charcoal coloured bones beneath them. The sin of her cheek collapsed inwards, dissolving into the thick tar-like substance and the bones beneath it crumbled and joined the growing pool on the floor. The sight made his stomach turn, and he fought to suppress the rising bile.

He had once thought that this is what burning alive would look like, if the flames were invisible. When he'd asked Seras if it hurt she had merely laughed awkwardly, and responded with a nonchalant shrug. She had said that it might have, but in that moment she couldn't feel anything, pain or otherwise. She had explained that Alucard said she was slow, and that it would become more fluid and faster at it as she practiced. Rodgers hoped that day would come soon, because having to watch his commanding officer dissolve sickeningly slow before his eyes was becoming old fast.

Maintaining his composure, he watched as the puddle, that had previously been his commanding officer, spread out across the floor and seep into the cracks of the room. The house became deathly quiet, even the ghosts of the place were quietened by the revulsive display. Most of the time he could almost consider Seras human, but that only made these little displays of vampirism all the more jarring. He knew that she was searching every crevice for a living creature, a movement, or a heartbeat. Anything that didn't belong.

Briefly the shadows licked at his boots inquisitively, but promptly moved past him, deeming him an acceptable presence. He felt a shiver do down his spine as the dark inky shape moved across the walls and ceiling, letting loose a few rats who had come to nibble on the abandoned food. He let them run past him and out into the street. No point loosing bullets over a few overfed rodents. He saw Seras's inky form spear one, before tossing it aside and moving down to the next house.

After about five minutes the black puddle appeared again and collate about four feet away from him before melding together a vaguely humanoid shape.

She began to speak before fully coming together, her voice eerily perfect for a shape with no mouth to speak with.

"The buildings are clear. A few rats here and there but it looks like our team are the only ones here." Slowly her face, and the rest of her body, assembled itself and she moved towards the kitchen. The shifting black mass of tar coming together to form skin, bones and clothes. She looked almost human again

"I'll get Coleman and the boys to set up the equipment. If all the houses are clear, this one looks to have the most space and a basement for you to sleep in" Rodgers tone was professional and tone somewhat hollow. Seras didn't take it personally, she knew her transformations unnerved even her closest men. In an attempt to move on promptly, Seras nodded and emptied the sink of water.

"Good, I'll give this place a clean-up and help move the heavier stuff in. Let me know when a communications base is set up, Sir Integra will be wanting a field report sharp."

"Yes ma'am" Rodgers nodded and headed out the door, leaving Seras alone in the silence of the cottage. She shivered as feeling returned to her body, her dissipation finally finished. Her master was right, she was to slow to pull herself back together. It made her vulnerable to those who knew how to exploit it. She could lose her arm or leg in that state and not even know. Even worse she could lose her consciousness in that state, she would drift away into shadows.

Sighing she looked around the room. The cottage was sizeable, and had an open plan downstairs space. It had the most modern renovations, making it the best location to establish a base in. The front door opened into a large living room, with an expensive looking kitchen and dining space behind it. The back windows looked out onto a manicured lawn, with a comfortably furnished patio. Whoever had lived here had dedicated a lot of love to that garden. She almost felt bad that her team were currently kicking through the cosy shed and disturbing the luscious borders in their search, but she knew that whoever had lived here was either already dead, or would die before coming back.

Clearing the table, Seras pushed the heavy sofa back on its feet and over to the wall with the ease that came with enhanced strength. Her men walked in setting up a communications centre in the living room, pulling a desk from another cottage in to accommodate the equipment. The Dining table was commandeered for a map, with markings covering its surface, and individual case files scattered around it. The last thing to be brought in was a large weapons and ammunitions box.

Whilst it was primarily used to store the equipment in on long journeys, Seras often claimed it as a temporary coffin when a mission required her presence for more than one evening. It wasn't quite the right shape, but it was large enough for her to stretch out fully, with a little space at her feet and side. It was also completely airtight, which was a key feature when darkened basements weren't available for her to sleep in. She wouldn't burn in direct sun, like she used to, but it would drain her of her powers and leave her weak if she stayed in it too long. She also couldn't use most of her powers during the daylight hours either. Alucard had said that such things would come after she'd managed to live past a century, although most vampires created these days rarely reached that age. Normally because they were hunted down by Hellsing before they had a chance to create problems.

Grabbing the box from the truck, Seras lugged it down the stairs of the basement and placed it in the far corner. The cellar wasn't large, and it was damper and more frigid than Hellsing's basement. She hoped she wouldn't have to stay here long.

Shaking her head, Seras turned from the box and rubbed her arms in an attempt to work the cold out of her body. She took the stairs two at a time and made her back up to the kitchen. She planned on informing Sir Integra of the necessary formalities as quickly as possible. She was itching to get out into the field and get some work done before the sun rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a much more descriptive chapter, far more like my older style of writing I think, thats why I'm a bit iffy on it personally. This is the last of the short chapters, the later chapters are much MUCH longer, so I apologise ahead of time. I really like long form writing, but these shorter chapters really helped me set the scene and pace for myself. Plus they are far more achievable without experiencing burn out. Either way let me know what you think.


	6. A Little Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras makes her way to the empty village, but it seems like a surprise is waiting for her. No matter, she can have a little fun in the meantime.

Chapter 6 - A Little Race

Seras smiled at the garage door of the last cottage. Situated furthest from the idyllic cottage they had commandeered for their base camp the last cottage stood seemed comparatively shabby. The garden hadn't been mown for a few months, tickling the back of Seras' thighs, and the paint on some of the doors and window frames was beginning to peel from the moist air.

Opening the door, she revealed a dark room, filled with the stench of mould and motor oil. She pulled the cord of the light switch, despite not really needing it to see, and took in the untidy contents of the room. There was a heap of boxes on a shelf in the back, a beat up looking little ford. But her attention was truly on something hiding under grease stained piece of fabric, right in the centre of the room.

Pulling back the fabric, Seras discovered a beautiful, if slightly neglected, BMW motorbike. The paint work was scratched and dull in places, but reflected a deep aubergine under the fluorescent bulb. She indulgently ran her finger over the shining emblem that sat over the heart of the machine, imagining what it must be like to ride one through the roaming hills of the countryside that surrounded her. During her time in the police force, when she had been on patrolling duty, she had ridden motorcycle all through the streets of London. She had always enjoyed the freedom riding on a bike, but she'd never got to experience it out of the city, and never had she had the chance to floor it round endless winding roads.

Tonight, her mission was to go ahead of her team and scout out any useful information from them and engage with any more serious combatants in the area. Her men would take over during the daylight hours, taking shifts whilst she slept and ate.

Since she was going alone she had originally planned on shadow walking to the town, but just as she had begun to pass the last house she had remembered the beautiful machine she had discovered during her dissipation.

She smiled wickedly at the thought of stealing the bike, and bringing it back to Hellsing, but she knew it was a fanciful thought. Integra would never allow her to take civilian property, the paperwork alone would be a nightmare, not to mention she had nowhere to keep a personal vehicle. Only Integra had the privileges of a private garage, and she wasn't going to share that with a draculina of all people. Deciding it was pointless to dwell on things she couldn't have, Seras pondered if she could ' _commandeer_ the bike as temporary transportation in the meantime. It would be much faster than shadow walking, as she was still yet to master that particular skill. She was faster than a human, but probably topped off at a of speed of about 30 miles an hour. Alucard had snidely commented once that he had known new-born fledglings move at twice that speed. In protest she commented that they probably had better teachers than her, and that he could stuff his comments up his arse, where they would be more welcome. The responding argument had lasted hours and worn out the whole households limited patience.

Snickering to herself she familiarised herself with the controls of the bike, working out how its gears worked and if it had a more modern ignition. Perhaps if she could make herself a copy of the bike in shadows, then she could summon it at will. No need to store it anywhere then, and it wouldn't need fuel other than her powers anyway. She might be able to do it; she was batter at shadow manipulation when it concerned objects. Guns, swords, bullets and even a few pieces of furniture here and there. It was when it came to be manifesting them for extended periods of time, or living creatures that she struggled. But a bike? For just a couple hours? Maybe.

As she was mulling these thoughts over she felt a small draft of warm air roll though the vacant garage. She watched, still and silent as the shadows collated in the far corner, taking an irritatingly familiar shape.

"Good evening, Police Girl" the familiar drawl of her master echoed through the space. "Pleasant thoughts I hope?" I mimicked her small grin as he stepped towards her

"Master?" Seras' mouth gaped slightly as she tried briefly to form a thought. She was sure he was supposed to be somewhere else this evening. He had told her so himself. "What are you..?"

"What am I doing here?" Alucard stepped closer again, just on the other side of the bike. His voice was smooth and dark as he reached out just enough to sweep some of her hair out her eyes. "I came to see my fledgling." His fingers trickled down to her chin, where they curled and sat just above the top of her throat.. The touch made her hairs raise at the back of her neck, and she slapped his hands away, making her agitation clear. Chuckling he stepped back, clearly happy to get under her skin. Leaning against the rough stone wall, he tipped his head to peer at her over his glasses, an irksome leer covering his otherwise handsome features.

"Didn't you have your own mission tonight, Master? Why do you have to come bother me on mine?" Seras knew she was being a little rude, but Integra wouldn't be happy if Alucard had abandoned a mission just to get on her nerves for fun.

Alucard tutted at her with an amused tone "Someone's getting awfully sure of themselves aren't they? Who would talk to their master in such a way?" he chuckled maniacally as she shot him a highly unimpressed look. "if you must know Seras , I finished faster than originally planned and came to see how you were doing in my absence"

"I can do perfectly well on my own! You know that. I've done missions without you before. I'm making good progress" Seras' tone was indignant, and may have sounded a little petulant but she refused to be embarrassed whilst she was on assignment. She was relieved, at the very least, that he hadn't shown up till she was alone. At least her men wouldn't get see her undermined by Alucard.

"Is that what you call fondling other people's property and hiding out at base camp?" He motioned to the bike and she quickly removed the hand she had resting on it, curling her fingers into her palm.

"I was just wondering if I could create a copy, with my powers" she defended, in a flustered tone. "I've seen you summon dogs and horses and weapons, even furniture. I just wondered if I could do the same" she sniffed at the air, her tone becoming indignant as he let her speak into the silence. "It's only two am, sunrise won't be for four hours. It'd take me longer to shadow phase there than use the bike. I'm not as fast as you at these things"

"Well then, show me little draculina. Show me how you can create your own machines and weapons. Because if you struggle with something as simple as shadow walking, creating an entire machine should be no difficulty at all" His tone was full of mocking ire and sarcasm. He was goading her. And she was falling for it.

Without uttering a single word to him, she threw a crackling glare at him and pulled the shadows of the room towards her, washing them over the bike. She ignored the challenging smile he gave her and focused her irritation on the task in front of her. The darkness became thick and dripped through every faucet of the machine, transferring the bikes every detail into her mind. With a considerable amount of cerebral effort, she dragged the ooze off of the bike and onto the concrete floor, where she let it grow and mould into an almost perfect copy of the bike that sat next to it. There were a few differences to be noted for sure, but Seras was surprised at how fast she had achieved her goal she let out a bright reem of laughter and tuned to her master.

"HA!" she yelled aloud, pointing a gloved finger at her master in triumph "Bet you didn't think I could do it! Well look at this beau-tay!" she preened over her creation; a broad smile fixed to her features

Comparing the two bikes she noticed her own was completely without colour, even the reflections of the immaculate paintwork shone in brilliant monochrome. Some of the details of the chassis and fuel tanks had become a little elongated in the copy, but it looked beautiful to her.

Purring in satisfaction she mounted the vehicle and let her hands glide over the handles and down to the engine.

"Isn't she beautiful master?" her voice dripped with pride and deep pleasure. As she looked over to the older vampire, she caught something odd about his gaze. Even though his angular features were obscured by his wide brimmed hat, she could sense something akin to hunger in his countenance. She felt her belly drop and her thighs tighten around the bike, more than a hint of apprehension filling her bones.

"Ravishing" his minimal response was said through a husky, barely audible voice. As he approached her again, Seras felt her throat tighten.

He circled round to her side, eyes peering over his orange glasses. His gaze was busy roaming over her, leaving a small tingle under her skin if he let it stray somewhere it shouldn't. She smiled, feeling a bubble of daring growing inside her.

"Ready to leave… my Master?" she kept her tone low and seductive, almost purring out the words

Their eyes met and she felt the air crackle with some unknown energy. Alucard stood inches from her now, his bewitching gaze locked with hers. He placed one hand on the back of the bike and his other on the handlebars, right next to her own. His nose hovered so close to hers she almost went cross-eyed from looking at it. He did not touch her, although he was so close he barely needed to move if he wanted to.

The impending urge to pull him by the collar and have her fill of him right there began to build in her chest. Her fingers twitched as images flashed through her mind. Herr mouth over his, fingers tangled in his hair and the heat of his breath on her skin. Her leather gloves gave a small squeak as she gripped the bike harder, attempting to supress the images from the forefront of her mind where he would notice them. She was thankful that she wore leather gloves on missions such as these, for her grip would have shown her discomfort to him instantly

Finding it almost impossible to hold his gaze and not suffocate under its pressure she found her eyes shooting towards the space between their hands. The black rubber becoming intimately attention grabbing. However, once she broke the stare he removed his hands and stepped back from her, taking most of her perceivable air with him.

"Shall we have a race, Seras?" His tone was playful, and he wore a coy smile on his face, she wondered if he could hear her thoughts despite her mental barriers. Taking a shaky, and hopefully unnoticed breath, Seras matched his smile but tilted her head inquisitively.

"But Master, you don't have a bike, that's hardly fair! You can shadow walk from London to here in a matter of minutes, how am I supposed to race against that?"

He gave her a shrewd grin, which slowly spread to show a mouth too wide and too full of teeth. His face began to morph forwards, into a long snout. She heard the quick snap of bones and the sounds of his flesh moving over reforming bones. She realised halfway through his transformation, that Alucard was morphing into an abominably large wolf. His gloves faded behind layers of bark black fur, his clothes tuning to dust as his hair spread to cover his skin just as fast as it was exposed. His face had elongated, his eyes glowing as they settled further back on his head, framed above rows of unending fangs shining in his vicious maw.

Once his transformation was complete Seras couldn't help but stare at her master's new form. His bestial shape was hypnotising, a powerful display of his sinister beauty. Stood on all fours, there was no way you could perceive him as anything other than a supernatural monster. He was simply huge, standing at least five feet high on all fours. The principals of thinner human frame remained, but there was clear musculature beneath his thick shadowy fur. Amusingly his tail was gently swaying, just as though he were a real dog. She smiled slightly and wondered if he would accept a belly rub in this form, or if his tail would wag if she did.

He let out a low rumble at her, and she felt a chill shoot up her spine at the noise. Watching with wide eyes she saw that the wolf was motioning its head towards the road. It would seem like he couldn't talk in this form. He could probably use their telepathic link, but seemingly was choosing not to.

Seras cleared her mind of all dog petting thoughts and kicked her bike forward. "Right, yes sir. Let's start the race." She paused before asking "Do you know where you're going? Not even attempting to hide the impudence of her tone.

Alucard gave her an indignant snort and a quick tail flick, before bracing himself on his haunches. She giggled to herself and revved the engine of her own bike, enjoying the quiet purr of the phantom engine.

Without waiting for a countdown, she kicked on the ignition and shot down the road, leaving the warm light of the pretty cottages, and Alucard, in the dust. The wind whistled around her head, and she was quickly swallowed by the inky darkness of the countryside, only pierced by the occasional auburn streetlamp.

She hollered into the rural emptiness, her voice reaching the ears of field mice and badgers alike. The bike whipped around a corner, the back wheel silently kicking up stones. Her creation barely made a sounds as it raced down the tight countryside lanes. The fact that it relied on nothing her own powers and darkness meant the only the sound came from the tyres as they skidded over the tarmac of the road.

Whilst she had initially thought she had taken Alucard by surprise, she could faintly hear the rhythmic beats of his paws approaching from behind. He'd caught up to her far too quickly for her liking. Snarling she veered to the left, only to hear him panting on her right side. Their eyes locked briefly, before she smirked and flicked the gears down and lurched forwards, the hedgerows of the road whipping past her in an imperceptible blur. Her bike acted as an extension of herself, moving faster than any normal bike could. Her breathing became laboured as she took a corner a little fast, and just avoided the small bus-stop and hedgerows that marked the turning. A quick glance behind her showed Alucard also appeared to face issues with his speed, not even taking the turning, instead bounding over the hedge and racing through a field.

Seras snickered, thinking he'd been thrown off course, but her face quickly became a scowl as she the road ahead became a winding nest of turns and she realised what Alucard had done.

"Bastard took a ruddy short cut! Off-road!" Chewing the inside of her cheek, Seras spun around a corner only to see her master jump out of a field onto the road ahead of her. The bastard had the nerve to throw a triumphant sneer at her, before shunting forwards. She let her features set in a furious scowl as she saw the lights of Pickerington approaching. The pair both screeched and scrambled to a halt as they crossed the town lines, Alucard finishing a good few meters ahead of her. Seras skidded further than she had originally intended, stopping just short of a sign reading "please drive carefully", spraying it with the loose stones from the road.

Dismounting, she stormed over to him, an errant finger brandishing in irritation at him.

"You cheated! Your fat-head, you took a short cut!" Her eyes flashed in irritation, and despite her shadows beginning to whip around her, Alucard could tell that her anger was nothing but a surface level act. A bit of theatrics for their little game.

The wolf snorted in amusement and confidently walked towards the draculina. She was only slightly taller than him, even in this form. He had to say that he rather liked this view of her, he was so used to looking down at her, he didn't always remember how charming she could be if given the chance to loom over him. Absentmindedly he brushed up against her led as he circled her. She was halfway through a small rant about the supposed rules of their little race when Alucard decided he'd had enough of procrastination and pushed past her. His shadows pooled around him and he quickly reformed as his usual self, bar his glasses which were nonchalantly hanging between his fingertips.

"Have you quite finished my little one? We do have a mission to do. You can't be too upset you lost, you did very well. But I am the older and more experienced one" He smiled broadly, teasing her with a plainly sarcastic tone.

He watched in amusement as his fledgling proceeded to open her mouth wordlessly before snapping it closed again. She repeated this a couple of times, her finger hanging in the air, looking rather like a fanged cod fish. Alucard couldn't help the rumble of laughter that escaped his lips, nor could prevent the slight softening of his features as Seras returned the smile. His little pet name for her caught her unexpected, but he was happy to see it was not unwelcome.

There was brief pause and they stood there, smiling at each other, a peculiar feeling washing over him. He knew that these passed months they had grown closer. The subtle jokes and innocent touches had become, to him, staples of his daily routine. He couldn't even remember what he used to do with his free time before she joined the Hellsing manor.

Initially he had started their evening meetings with the intent of teachings her about her vampiric powers, as any master should. But it had slowly become something different as time marched on. He had felt relaxed enough to share meals with her, and they had talked as equals on many occasions. She was a constant source of confusion for him, he was never exactly sure what she was thinking.

Although he had admittedly used this development in their relationship as an excuse to begin mild flirtation. She rarely started such behaviours, but she always reciprocated it in verbal spars or the occasional affectionate touch. He found himself fixed with an ever voracious curiosity when alone with her. The feelings were unexpected to him, and he had done much to ignore them when possible. But his resolve was weakening severely.

He knew that he needn't have joined her on the mission tonight, and it clearly had been a surprise to Integra when he requested to join the draculina. Although he couldn't pin down exactly why, Alucard found a growing melancholy at the thought of eating alone, or missing his early morning conversations with his fledgling. He couldn't help but feel drawn to spend as much time alone with Seras as possible. She responded to his teasing with unknowing innocence, and dared to challenge him in trivial diversions. She acted as though he wasn't one of the most dangerous creatures on this sombre island they called home. It was refreshing to not be feared all the time, but a dangerous road all the same.

Seras could feel a small blush spreading over her cheeks. Alucard had recently taken to calling her little pet names, and despite the butterflies they caused in her stomach, she had learnt to accept them without too much fluster on her end. But the way he was looking at her right now, made her legs feel awfully like jelly.

She couched in an attempt to regain a little of her composure and push these silly feelings to the far corners of her mind where she could ignore them in peace. Alucard finally appeared to come back to reality and turned away from her, his impervious mask coating his face once more, eyes focusing on the small town ahead of them. Looking down the cobbled street ahead of her, lined with moonlit picturesque blooms and sent her shadows flicking around the abandoned street, in search of any living creatures.

"I think it's all clear master." She sniffed the air as if to double check something, but said nothing else. She turned to look at him once again, clearly waiting for an order of some kind.

"Then, Police girl, I believe it is time we get to work"

* * *

About an hour before at Hellsing

* * *

Integra huffed as she rifled through her draws. She was currently occupied with packing a large suitcase with anything she could possibly consider necessary for a mission. Unsure of how long the mission would take, she decided to pack enough clothes for five days, in hopes that she could find either a laundry machine or somewhere to buy fresh clothing if it took longer. Due to her own lack of creativity, and the further lack of diversity in her wardrobe most of the gathered garments were variations of the same trouser suit in slightly different shades of blue and green.

Currently she had everything folded, organised and separated into piles of tops, trousers, undergarments, shoes and toiletries. Not a thing was even a centimetre out of line with the next within the case. Integra's organisation skills and habits had often been noted by even those who did not know her very well. With her efficient nature and penchant for being exactly five minutes early to everything it was often considered one of her more defining traits. This behind her chain smoking of expensive cigars and her commonly masculine dress of course.

Her need to be organised overlapped into every aspect of her life, which why her current inability to find her one and only jewellery box was vexing her beyond words. She rarely wore much ornamentation, her silver cross seeing her fine in her everyday situations, but even she knew the value of having some specific pieces with her, should the need arise.

She was certain the last time she had touched the blasted box had been two winters past, when shed had to attend a formal anniversary or something at Sir Penwood's own illustrious residence. That evening she had been trussed up in her finest evening gown by a myriad of stylists, maids and even an overly enthusiastic draculina. Integra rarely wore skirts, let alone an actual dress, so Seras had been altogether too excited to see her boss all dolled up for an evening. Despite her attitude being comparable to an errant and overly enthusiastic child, Seras had done a wonderful job with Integra's makeup and hair. Even the iron lady herself had congratulated the draculina's skill, offering praise where she believed it was due.

Unfortunately, that particular evening Integra had ended up being snubbed rather publicly by a rather drunk member of the aristocracy, souring her mood beyond redemption. After the ordeal was all over Integra had demanded that all her cosmetics and fancy ornamentations be shut away where she wouldn't have to think about them for a good while.

Realising where she had thrown the damn things the Hellsing heir strode over to her wardrobe, dressing table chair in hand, and stood afront of the large closet. Climbing on top of the chair she furtled around the top, until her hand brushed over a medium sized boxed, about the size of a microwave, coated in a thick layer of dust and grime.

Pulling it forward, she lowered the box down, stepping down from the stool and walking over to the bed. She didn't plan on bringing its entire contents, but perhaps a few items in case of some peculiar necessity. The clasp was stiffer than she remembered, having clogged up with years' worth of grime, but with a small amount of effort the lid cracked open and pushed back on its hinges, revealing a myriad of sparkling jewels and polished metal. There was a small bag of cosmetics that usually only got for formal events to the left of the box, and a couple of organised jewellery sets, each sitting in their own smaller box, on the right hand side. Integra supposed that she should probably take at least one set, she expected this mission would require some undercover work, and it might add to have a few pieces of ornamentation if they went anywhere higher class.

Picking out one of the smaller boxes, she opened the lid to examine its contents. The set, if she remembered correctly, was a gift from wife of Sir Irons. A fairly opulent set of gold earrings, set with fat rubies and petite diamonds sparkled up at her. It came with a matching necklace and bracelet set, each piece more opulent than the last. Sneering she snapped the box closed. Those were far too expensive and outlandish for a mission. They were also not particularly flattering on her skin tone. Integra had always planned to gift them to Seras, knowing they would suit her far more than they ever would her. Placing the box back, she took another out, in the hopes its contents may be more suitable.

The second case was faux leather, dyed in a light blue; silver writing embossed on the top. A small smile touched her lips as she found the contents were exactly what she was looking for. The set contained a matching trio of earrings, necklace and bracelet. Each was made from solid silver, and were of a simplistic and delicate design. The earrings featured were thin elongated crosses, hung off a silver hoops and tipped with imitation sapphires. The necklace and bracelet followed a similar design. The necklace had a large silver and sapphire cross hung off a delicate and silver chain, with the bracelet featuring a few decorative rings interweaving the design. Snapping the case shut she placed in her suitcase, finding an organised place for it amongst her suits. She considered the fact that she made need some civilian clothes as well, although she wasn't entirely sure what would be considered necessary, never wearing them herself. Ordinarily she would have discreetly solicited the Police Girl for some assistance in the matter, but with her favourite vampiress out on mission she would have to face this issue on her own.

It was at this point there was a polite if rhythmic knock at her bedroom door. Looking up she called for them to enter, only to find the peculiar pairing of Wadsworth and her new ladies' maid. The girl had been inherited from Sir Lucan alongside the butler and had done an awful job of hiding her clear admiration for the older man. She was over a decade younger than the butler, being in her late twenties by Integra's estimations, but this did not seem to deter her amorous inclinations. Her rather fanciful nature was only further exasperated by the fact that her name was Yvette, something that Integra found caustically French for her own tastes.

Despite this she had been a helpful addition to Integra's personal life, taking over Walters previous role as valet and chamber maid. She also had a keen eye for ladies' fashion, and was even allowed to use it when Integra determined it useful.

Integra greeted them both with a welcoming smile, which they returned with a bow and curtsy respectively

"Good evening Sir" Wandsworth's voice rang with his usual brand of reverential politeness. "I have few updates for you this evening". Beside him Yvette began to sort through Integra's back, tutting quietly at the complete lack of feminine apparel.

"Oh god, they aren't bad are they?" Integra ignored her maids' ministrations upon her luggage, far more alarmed by the prospect of an imminent calamity.

"I couldn't say ma'am, I believe these particular events are subjective as far as good and bad may go, it is not for me to decide." Integra raised an eyebrow, but made no noise to interrupt her butler, keen to get the news over with sooner rather than later. "The Vatican office has responded to your request to begin a mission in norther Ireland." Wadsworth began "They have given you permission to operate in the area, under the condition that you work alongside the agent they have sent there" Wadsworth, despite his best efforts, couldn't quite keep his disgust from his face. The almost imperceptible wrinkling of his nose and the slight inflammation of the vein at his temple indicated his frustration at having to work with the Catholics.

"Well that's the best we could hope for" Integra muttered indignantly fingers rubbing together absentmindedly. She was trying to cut down on her cigars, having received a few stern talking's to from her doctor, but the cravings always set in as her stress levels increased. The gesture was not missed by her maid who gave her a reprimanding look, ironic considering Yvette was a few years younger than her charge. "Do we know the agent's identity?" Integra queried hopefully, setting her mind to packing the last small items of her suitcase. She found her efforts promptly thwarted by the young maid, who had somehow managed to unpack everything and pull out some of more neglected pieces of Integra's wardrobe.

"They said they wanted to use someone we'd be familiar with to keep things amicable" Wadsworth began, his tone somewhat amused at the small battle unfurling in front of him. "They have chosen to send an Alexander Anderson to meet you"

Integra actually spluttered. "Anderson?" her voice swelled with just the barest hint of surprise. Her battle with Yvette was completely lost and abandoned in favour of giving the butler her full attention "I suppose he is at least familiar, if slightly unhinged. Better than someone I don't know, I'm sure." she announced her conclusion out-loud, but she unsure if it was an attempt to placate the unease of Wadsworth or herself.

"They have agreed to meet at the hotel we have chosen, The Vatican tried to convince us to stay in their location, but I convinced them that it would be better if the regenerator agent wasn't seen at a known Iscariot hideout." Wadsworth glinted with pride, clearly happy to have upset the Catholics plans at least a little bit.

"Anderson will be stating in the same hotel as me?" Integra tried to hide the revulsion, but it wasn't entirely effective

"Yes Sir. I'm sorry I couldn't put him somewhere else, but Iscariot insisted you must be watched on _'disputed territory'_ as they call it" He did nothing to hide his displeasure of the situation. "You are in different rooms at least." He offered this as a form of solace, along with a low humming noise of understandable pity. Yvette made a similar sound of sympathy whilst re-packing her lady's suitcase. The maid had, quite unnoticed by the other occupants of the room, managed to sneak in a couple ordinary looking tops, some jeans, a skirt and even a formal dress of sorts. She had also secreted in some cosmetics, but knowing her boss's aversion to them, she had kept to the basics.

"Indeed, a relief" Integra muttered in response to Wadsworth, clearly distracted by some deep and pensive thought. A brief silence in the room, filled by a growing sense of apprehension. Integra's fingers began to fuss at the hem of her jacket, the nicotine craving growing with every passing second.

"You said there was other news?" Integra asked the butler, attempting to dispel the growing pressure of the room.

"Yes sir, my apologies. Alucard is on line one for you" The tenor of the butler instantly became terse, all previous amusement replaced by a long-suffering look in his eyes.

"Alucard?"

"Yes Sir"

"What on earth does he want?" She checked her watch; it was still early in the night. Most peculiar.

"He says that he has finished his mission and would like your permission to join Miss Victoria up north" Wadsworth uttered dismissively, as though he expected nothing more that utter nitwittery from the sadistic vampire.

Integra surmised that Wadsworth likely found even Alucard's less corrosive behavioural traits quite taxing. The butler hadn't been in the household quite long enough to grow the proverbial armour that others had developed over the years. Whilst Seras was relatively easy for the newer members to become accustomed to, the childish behaviours of the elder vampire often grated on the new butlers very last nerves. One look at Wadsworth's face confirmed to Integra that even the mention of the devil himself had irked the poor man more than he would have liked.

Shaking her head Integra made for the phone on her bedroom nightstand and hit the button reading _LINE ONE._

"Yes, what?" She snapped down the phone, her tone becoming short the second her ear touched the receiver

"Good evening Master" Alucard's voice rang out long and smooth down the telephone line. He sounded please with himself. "I've been on hold for a while"

"You're not my top priority at the moment" she answered snippily "Now what is this about you finishing your mission already? Our preliminary reports suggested you'd be busy all night. What happened?" There was brief pause before Alucard answered.

"The reports severely overstated the numbers of hostiles here." He grumbled, sounding almost disappointed "Either someone was yanking your chain, or our operatives are blind. There were only two poor imitations of vampires in the entirety of Brixton. I thought the best way to dispatch them and any evidence they were her was to burn down the warehouse they had made their den" his gleeful tone sent a shiver up her spine.

"You burnt down an entire warehouse, to kill two chipped vampires?" She tried to keep her tone even, but she couldn't help the fury rising in the back of her throat. "Why on earth did you do that?"

"The pathetic freaks had gone on a little murder spree and the place was filled with their pathetic ghouls." He sounded bored at the questions of his master "It was the only way to purify the souls and not let any escape"

Integra was sure that wasn't technically true, but the fire would save her the clean-up crew later down the line, so she wasn't too bothered bout the strange tactic. "Fine. So now you've finished your mission you want to join Seras up in Pickerington?" she phrased the statement as a question, hoping to get something out of her vampire pet. Unfortunately, all he had to offer her was terse silenced. Sighing she said, "Go ahead and join her, although it baffles me as to why you're so keen to join her. The mission is simple reconnaissance and a small pest extermination. I'm only allowing you to keep you occupied in my absence. You won't likely be of any use, understand?"

"If you're worried about my behaviour master, I promise I won't derail the mission. Well not for my own entertainment at least" His tone dripped with the need to irritate her.

"You won't step a toe out of line vampire, do you hear me?" Integra made her tone was icy, the commanding implication of her words becoming crystal clear. Wadsworth, who had been fussing with Yvette about something in her suitcase, looked up at the tense exchange. He watched her briefly, before turning back to have what seemed like a whisper argument with the young maid, leaving Integra to yell at her servant

"You are on this mission strictly to aid Seras Victoria." She commanded at the infernal bastard. "She is the lead operative, and you will treat her as such when out in the field. Do not pester her when she is working. Am I understood?" the phone line crackled as Alucard took a breath.

"Perfectly Master. If that is all?"

"That is all, You are dismissed." Integra hung up the phone, and turned her attention to the bickering pair, who were busy re-arranging her suitcase, having added things she was certain weren't in the before. "And what do you think you are doing?" Her tone full of demanding ire.

To his credit, Wadsworth barely looked a hair out of place as he smiled up at her with a polite upturn of his lips.

"Yvette saw you packed your normal suits, but there was no civilian clothing. She took the liberties of choosing a few pieces for you." His tone was terse, but well-mannered, clearly mortified the girl had touched their employers' personal items without permission. Yvette's voice held no such reservations as she spoke.

"You said yourself miss; you're going undercover. I suspected that they know your general appearance, it being somewhat distinctive and all" she wafted a hand at Integra's current attire, her face the expert mimicry of politeness "I packed you some alternatives, 'rekon they won't even know it's even you if you dress more casual like" Despite herself, the girls more regional London accent was creeping up on her.

Integra regarded her words carefully before waving a hand in defeat. She wouldn't be carrying the damn thing so was content have the maid weigh it down as much as she pleased.

"Do as you please Yvette, I trust your judgement" she kept her tone detached, absentmindedly grabbing for a cigar from her inner jacket, only to find the pack missing and her maid giving her a calculating look. Cursing under her breath, she chewed the inside of her cheek. Cutting down wasn't going to be easy.

Packing the last of her items, including both her regular old-fashioned war revolver and a tiny modernised concealable pistol, into her suitcases, Yvette curtsied and instructed Wadsworth in the removal of the luggage from the room. He was presumably going up to the roof, where her helicopter was waiting for Integra to board.

Taking on last run through the room, checking she'd not forgotten anything, Integra nodded to herself and marched towards the door. A hotel in Ireland, with Anderson, and her two pet vampires gallivanting around the Yorkshire countryside. These were going to be an interesting couple of days. God help what little remained of her patience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys so slightly longer chapter this week, do you think these kind of lengths are preferable? Personally Im really enjoying them, but it takes much longer to write, and I tend to miss things in the editing process sometimes with such big chapters, enjoy xx.


	7. Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alucard and Seras start their investigation of the village, although Seras' master is being less than co-operative.

Chapter 7 - Investigation

Seras let her shadows glide along the abandoned streets, careful to avoid the burning orange glow of the fluorescent street-lamps. Alucard had insisted she take the lead, as it was still her mission, but his presence was making her infuriatingly tense.

For a lack of alternative options, Seras had acted as though she were approaching her mission as she had originally planned, as if Alucard were not there at all. She had used a brief moment to gather her bearings before turning herself to shadows, skittering along the cracks between the cobble stones. Her master had remained uncharacteristically quiet as he faded into the shadows with her. To her relief he had initially kept his distance from her, but such tranquillity rarely survived in _his_ presence.

As Seras grew in confidence; she became assured that they were truly alone in the small town and had relaxed her composure a slight measure. Alucard had taken this modest implication of comfort as a sign that she was open for his idle amusement and began toying with the tail ends of her shadows.

Seras, who sorely needed the practice at travelling in shadow form was finding it immensely hard to concentrate when he pulled at one of her loose tendrils. The peculiar feeling of his shadows intertwining with her own was startlingly abrasive to her mind. She was unused to feeling anything at all in this form. Whilst she could feel the difference between something solid or hollow, the change in surface texture or the feeling of a living versus a lifeless being underneath her, her shadows had never felt like a physical body before. At best she had made them spears or blades, but they were nothing but phantom metal, with no notable nerves to speak of.

But Alucard, he had felt warm and solid when he touched her. She had felt the heat of his touch against her, his shadows gliding like silk over her own. She had almost stopped in her tracks when he first did it, so unacquainted to the sensation.

" _Master, will you quit it! I'm trying to concentrate!"_ she yelled through their mental connection.

" _Your shadow form is all over the place, Police Girl. No wonder you can't shadow walk very far. You're barely corporeal"_. His tone had sounded almost inquisitive in her mind. He pulled at another loose strand of her powers and he let out a rumble of laughter as she writhed under his ministrations. _"Very messy work police girl"._ His voice was playful but held the barest edge of criticism

At this point, Seras had surmised that his goal was to irritate her, because her slow rate of movement was boring him. She had felt a little disheartened, seeming to disappoint his expectations, but this only fuelled her desire to pull her shadows forward at a greater speed.

Seras felt a rush of relief when they reached the town square and pulled her physical body out of the darkness as quickly as she could. Unfortunately, unused to such speeds when changing form, she almost tripped over the uneven floor trying to walk before her muscles stitched themselves together. Behind her, Alucard roared with laughter.

"Police girl. Look at you, stumbling around like a new borne Childe. How do you do missions without me?" His tone was far too self-amused and snarky for her liking. Seras glared daggers at her master, but kept her tongue in her mouth. He appeared to have enjoyed toying with her and was now in a vexingly good mood.

Knowing her expression was turning sour, Seras turned to face Pickerington's police station. According to her files the evidence and remains concerning the last victim had been left here after the hurried evacuation of the town.

The station was fairly sizeable and sported a particular style of ugliness produced only by grotesquely practical buildings. It was, to say the least, an architectural eyesore in the otherwise picturesque town square.

Whilst it had clearly started its days as high vaulted Victorian building, the station appeared to have received multiple unwelcome additions over the years. The left wing must have been added before the world wars, its large grey stones matching the original building materials, if not its complete design ethos. The right hand side, however, was glaringly a modern extension. With tall glass windows and dense plastic frames, as well as the pebbledash concrete box tacked onto the side it was clear it was an extension done out of dire necessity and with no acknowledgment of taste.

Some poor soul had clearly tried to rectify the situation, by hiding the newer structural addition behind a pair of large beach trees. Unfortunately, this decision had backfired at some point down the line, as the roots had become intertwined over the years, making it look as though the two great pieces of lumber were trapped in some eternal struggle. It left Seras with the vague feeling that building itself was languishing at its own appearance, causing discontent amongst the ranks of its foliage.

Attempting to ignore the building's exterior Seras made her way to the door, and gently pushed it ajar. The warm air of the inside brushed passed her face, bringing with it the smell of coffee, plastic and the ever present sweaty musk of police stations. Seras remembered the smell from her days back in D-11. The small details would be different, but she theorised that all police stations smelled roughly the same.

Pulling her pistol from her side holster, she quietly moved inside, her leather boots making soft patting sounds on the polished linoleum floor. Behind her Alucard moved without making a sound. She couldn't deny she was envious of his abilities sometimes. He barely even seemed strained to keep quiet, and he melded into the darkness of the interior with no conceivable effort.

Ahead of her sat the unmanned front desk. The concept seemed alarmingly wrong to her. A space that's entire existence required a human presence sat jarringly empty. A half-drained coffee mug, an unfinished sandwich and a completed sudoku indicated the absence of someone Seras could almost picture in her mind.

Hopping over the desk, she placed her gun down and began to flick on the screens that sat below the false front of the desk. The monitors buzzed into life, most of which were still connected to operational cameras. Only the one labelled ' _chiefs office'_ failed to produce an image, giving only buzzing static as a response. She regarded the one on the far left, where she could see washed-out, pixelised versions of herself and Alucard standing at reception. The poor quality camera wasn't an unexpected sight, police stations were rarely as high-tech as films and TV presented them to be.

"There are cameras all over the station" she muttered at Alucard "I'll use them to check for any signs of a disturbance, but then I'll wipe the tapes. Best no one knew we were here. We don't exactly look inconspicuous." She offered him a playful grin, but his own expression remained blank, devoid of any understanding for what she had said. Clearly, Alucard was either utterly uninterested in whatever it was she was doing, or he had little understanding of what she had actually meant. He was after all from the fifteenth century, and although he was active in the twenty-first, Seras had rarely seen him interact with the technology of her own era. From what she could tell, he had just about made it to about the 80's, developing a base level understanding of how to use a phone, but hadn't advanced much further than that.

Ignoring him, she scanned the screens. The main office and lobby were definitely clear, the bright fluorescent lights and open floor plan made that wonderfully obvious. There was, of course, the amusing sight of herself and Alucard on one of the screens. From its perspective, somewhere behind Alucard's shoulder, her own small form became dwarfed by his. She made an irritated noise at the back of her throat, annoyed how unimpressive she looked next to him. Her master gave her an odd look, but she said nothing and just turned off the screen.

Turning her attention to the final set of cameras in the corridors surrounding the evidence locker, she frowned in irritation. Most of the lights had cut out in that section of the building, and despite her own excellent night vision, the camera only showed her a grainy depiction of shapes in the dark, backlit by the glow escaping the foyer. From the looks of it the shapes were just the usual chairs and corridor clutter of all community buildings, but she didn't want to say for sure. It always payed to be on her guard on a mission.

"Looks like we're all clear in the main part of the station, but I can't see anything around the evidence locker or the chief's office." She explained to Alucard, whilst opening the hard drives that the cameras were recording on to. Disconnecting them, she chucked them on the floor before crushing them under her heel, and throwing the remains into an empty decorative fish tank sat on the desk.

"Is that your version of wiping tapes Police girl?" Alucard seemed highly amused by her behaviour. Clearly he'd been expecting something far more technical from her.

Offering him a wide fanged smile, she gave a playful shrug. "I prefer a hardware based solution, what can I say?" Hoping back over the desk she put gripped her pistol and stood next to him. She grew a little more serious as she asked, "Can you sense anything in there?"

He tilted his head slightly, using his third eye to scan the area for any threats. "I can see a few rats, but other than us nothing" Seras pulled a face at the mention of rodents. She'd had to chase a few out of the cottage earlier and had speared one with her shadows, unbeknownst that the tendrils would attempt to drain its blood. Whilst any extra nutrition would normally be welcome to her on such busy evenings the small creature had tasted sour, a putrid mix of fear and garbage.

Deciding her master was probably right, she holstered her gun and pushed through the heavy wooden doors into the main lobby and offices of the station. This part of the building still retained some the original Victorian design features, but the extensions to either side of it were unfortunately just as ugly from the inside as they had been from the outside. The modern extension allowed for a nice view of the street, and had the added benefit that from inside the building you didn't have to have the horrific view of its exterior.

As the pair wandered through the maze of desks, Seras found herself keeping close to her master's side. She thought she might have felt a connection with the place, having worked in a police station before, but her previous experiences only made her skin crawl with how gutturally empty the place felt. Police stations were never abandoned, it was against their very purpose. Whilst they might get quiet in the evening, there was always someone at reception or the night shift plods slowly crawling in and out, coffees in hand and snarky conversations in their head. To see it empty made its clinical atmosphere and authoritarian design more apparent. The empty desks, filled with forsaken meal deal sandwiches emphasised how much the space should have been filled with human life. The vampiress found the air suffocating, the heady smell of sweat and coffee somehow making her dizzy. Beside her Alucard seemed completely unaffected.

' _Typical',_ she thought to herself _'he's never bothered by anything'_

Seras suppressed the urge to cling to her master in some way, instead settling for harshly pushing her gloved fingertips into her palms. Alucard appeared to notice her discomfort and allowed her unusual closeness, something he would normally chastise her for. He couldn't sense whatever it was that particularly was bothering her, but he assumed it must be connected to her previous human life. She had been a police officer all those moons ago, perhaps this upset her. He theorised he may have a similar reaction if he were ever forced to walk through his family's dungeon again, although that would be for entirely different reasons. He pushed the thought away and concentrated on feeling for any unnatural movement in their surroundings.

"This seems so wrong" she whispered to him, her voice barely piercing the frigid and delicate air of the space. "They all just left, like they were taken out of no-where. Look, all of their personal items are still here." She gestured with a soft wave of the hand at the many overtly human items strewn about desks and walls. Alucard, for lack of understanding what to do, offed a vaguely sympathetic and understanding noise in the form of a low hum.

They were reaching the end of the room now, and a desk full of pictures of children slowly sailed in and out of their collective vision. Seras didn't even try to see if she recognised any of the smiling faces from her case file. Were any of those children the ones murdered? ' _Best not to think about it'_ , she thought to herself ' _best to just stay detached'_.

Finally, they had passed through the vacant room, and reached the doors leading into the unlit corridor surrounding the evidence locker. Seras pushed all thoughts of the main lobby from her mind and concentrated on the mission at hand. Slowly pushing open the doors she scanned the corridor for any signs of life, before dissipating into the gloomy darkness, knowing Alucard would do the same. The pair spilled down the corridor, their forms not even creating a breeze as they flitted towards their goal.

Turning the corner, they came upon their goal. A metal door with a hefty pair of locks and a number pad attached to it stood before them. Having neither the code nor the keys, Seras had always known that she'd have to force her way under the door in her shade form. Still, something about breaking onto a police station's evidence locker seemed intrinsically wrong to her.

Having hesitated long enough, she pushed her inky form through the crack below the door and began to reform herself on the other side. Alucard joined her and he'd managed to completely reform before she was anywhere near finished herself. This caused her to go through the mortifying endeavour of having him closely watch her she slowly noted herself together, agitated features growing over porcelain bones.

"You take too long police girl" his reprimand was swimming with impatience.

"I know, I know, you've said so before"

"And yet you are still slow"

"I just need to practice" she spat back at him, hardly in the mood to be receiving a lecture in the middle of a mission. The police station was giving her a serious case of the heebie-jeebies, and her patience was sat at its bare minimum. Seeing his mouth opening to no doubt start some mocking lecture, she held up a hand and cut him off before he could start. "Now shush, I've got to look for something in here"

Alucard raised an eyebrow, at her insolence, but his small smirk told her he wasn't overly bothered by her attitude. The evidence locker wasn't excessively large, there was enough room for the two of them to stand next to each other without touching, but there was only about half a meter between them. The shelves covered all the walls, growing up to reach the ceiling. Most of the evidence looked to be case file reports, small confiscated items and a lot of lost property. This surprised neither of the pair it was, after all, not a huge town and the crime rate wasn't that high in places like this. Back in London the police station Seras worked at had many huge evidence rooms, stretching on for ages and even requiring more than one person act as a receptionist to categorise and keep track of everything that came in and out. Compared to that this one seemed like a glorified broom cupboard to her.

Seras began to scan the shelves in search of the evidence bag. According to her reports the bones had been scheduled to be delivered to the hospital a few towns over, but Hellsing had evacuated the town before it could be carried out and unfortunately, in everyone's haste to vacate, the poor child's remains had been left behind. She scanned the lower shelves, having the benefit of not having to bend over that much, and Alucard searched the top, he was able to experience the benefits of not having to climb the shelves to search them. Seras felt a feeling of nausea growing inside her, as time passed in the small room. She dreaded finding the bones, let alone actually having to touch them.

To her surprise it was Alucard who found them first. The bones had been sat right at the top of the shelf, pushed back out of the sight of anyone who might walk in. Clearly whoever had put them in here had had the same feelings about looking at hem as Seras did. Even Alucard looked unusually perturbed by the sight of them; he retained a deathly silence as he handed them to her.

"Thanks" she said softly, not really meaning it. Thankfully he'd only handed her the bag of what looked like the bones making up an arm or a leg, rather than the entirety of the remains. She wasn't sure if she could face looking at the entire skeleton of a child right now. For a moment she just stared at them, so small she wasn't really sure if they would break under her touch.

"It's the left arm" Alucard said softly to her. He didn't move to comfort her, but it was clear that he wasn't going to chastise her hesitation either.

"Yeah" she muttered distantly, fingers slowly moving inside of the bag. With her gentlest touch she pulled out the largest bone, the upper arm bone she presumed. "It has teeth marks" she whispered, all blood leaving her face. She could feel her stomach tuning knots and her knees going weak. Trying her best to not lose her nerve she continued to examine the bone, looking down its length, only to realise that it was hollow all the way down. "Oh my god…" she felt like being sick, her lips pressed together in attempt to control her revulsion. Whilst the surface of the bone was covered in complex scratches and teeth marks, the internal surface was smoothed and cleanly polished. "the marrows been sucked out. Alucard…Christ…I…w-why would anyone do this to a child?" Her hands were shaking as she looked over at him. He was watching her with a look of deep concern and something she could place swimming in his features. The look did little to settle her nerves.

"I don't think a person did this Seras" He said, making her fragile sanity waver with every word he uttered. "And this is far beyond a simple boggarts prank. Sir Integra was right. Something else is getting them to take the children, and that's what's eating them" His tome was grim, and lit with an edge of disgust. He moved towards her, easily taking the delicate dry bone from her grasp; Seras was more than content to have it out of her hands.

He turned it slowly, inspecting every crack and camber meticulously. Seras watched with a curious revulsion. In his large elongated hands, the miniscule nature of the remains was emphasised. She knew this child had been one of the older ones taken, at the age of ten, but it still seemed so impossibly small in his hands.

"You're right when you say someone has eaten the marrow" he said calmly, voice just loud enough to not be called a whisper "These are teeth marks, but look here," he held the bone closer to her face so she could see it in sickening detail "the teeth were square, see?" he gestured all along the middle to show small rectangular toughs caused by teeth craping at bone. Seras nodded, her head moving away slightly, not wanting to look much longer. Around her the room began to feel like it was getting smaller with every passing moment.

He spun the bone round so she could look at the end, where more grooves were scratched into the calcified surface. "Notice anything different with these marks?" He asked, his voice changing to a patient tone. This wasn't a common occurrence for her master, but she had quickly identified what it meant the first time she had heard it. It was the same tone that her teachers had spoken to her with when shed been struggling with something complicated back in school. He was trying to get her learn something, despite the barbaric subject matter. Swallowing her disgust, she took the bone back and inspected it closely, comparing the scratches at the edge to those at the centre.

"The ones at the edge were done by something pointy and sharp…" she peered closer, using her vampiric eyesight to drink in all the details in from the surface. Suddenly the answer clicked in her mind. "Claws!?" her voice didn't get louder than a whisper, but a shrill edge lit up her speech.

"Indeed." Alucard muttered "Square teeth and pointed talons, not common in monsters, so it narrows it down some" he pointed down to the inside of the hollowed-out space, his gloved hand hovering above its surface. "If you look at the joint, you can see whatever did this, left a little etching behind."

Seras frowned deeply, noticing a small delicately engraved set of runes, right where the joins would have met if the arms were still whole. "But what does that mean Master?"

"It means it can write, it's not only literate but can wield a tool delicate enough to engrave into bone without breaking it." He looked over his glasses at her. "That means it's definitely not a boggart. They are fat little creatures with pointy teeth and nary a braincell between an entire clan."

"Oh" Seras suddenly felt like she knew far too little about mythological beings that haunted the British isles. She had become so used to just shooting them over the years, she had never bothered to learn much about her targets. She vowed right there that such a habit would change if she were going to be on more missions like this in the future. "Do you know what the runes mean?" She asked absentmindedly, barely even registering his presence, captivated by the small engravings

"Some yes. Others no. Looks to be a summoning invocation, or something very similar. I cannot understand the specifics, unfortunately"

"So now what?" she asked somewhat numbly. With the bone in her hands for so long she could feel her mind swimming freely in a sea of dread, her finger tingling with oncoming numbness. The nausea rose in her stomach again and she the primal need to escape the building was flaring in the back of her mind. These remains, this station, the deserted town, it was all becoming so much. Her mind began to cloud and churn painfully slow, she barely even registered Alucard taking the bone off of her and putting it, along with all the others back where he had pulled them from.

"Now we leave" her master took her by the arm gently, phasing the pair out under the door, through the cavernous lobby and back outside into the sweet night air. His touch was warm and calming and as soon as fresh night air touched her face she suddenly felt able to breathe. She tried to step back out of his grasp and shake herself to sense, but her attempt was thwarted as Alucard held on tighter, edging into the realm of pain. The sting brought Seras fully back to reality and she winced slightly.

"Ow! What?" She protested at his touch and tried to yank her arm free again. He gave her a scrutinising scowl before freeing her limb. She rubbed her upper arm, attempting to disperse the bruise that might be forming, her face twisting in mild irritation. She knew he was just concerned, or perhaps something akin to his own version of it ,but she did wish he'd be gentler sometimes.

"Is that your first time seeing the remains of a child?" he spoke with no judgement but a little sympathy. Clearly he had not been unfamiliar with the sight, but Seras couldn't deny that she had been completely taken aback by the sight. Even though she had known what to expect, and had planned to do all this without Alucard, she had no idea what she'd have done without him.

"Yes" she echoed back at him, her voice suddenly carrying the full weight of her grief. It had been horrific and sickening for her, she didn't ever want to see it again. Not in all her years left on this earth or in the hell that awaited her. "It was awful"

"It always is. But over time you learn to stand the sight, even if it never really gets better" Alucard's words became stiff hinting at a pain far greater than he would share tonight. "We should move on to the kidnap sight Police Girl. See if there are any more runes at that sight. The human investigations wouldn't have been looking for anything of that inclination, they may have missed something."

Seras let all the air escape her lungs in a big gush. The night was weighing on her mind more than she thought it would. She felt as the gentle rain began to fall, a light misting of water in the chilly September air. This bothered neither vampire, as they were perfectly able to manipulate their shadows to protect their clothing from a little damp. Seras opened a hole in her shadow umbrella and let the rain hit the skin of her face briefly. The cold water reminded her of the rainstorms she had experienced in her childhood, the memory calming her internal discomfort. Eventually she closed the hole in her defences and stood waiting for her master to move, but he just looked at her expectantly.

"Is there something wrong master?" her voice all innocence and confusion.

"No, should there be?" his countenance quickly returned to its normal sardonic nature, clearly probing her for a rise. Seras shook her head and tuned away. So, he wanted her to take the lead? Fine. She could do that.

Wiping her gloves over her damp face, she began to walk down the main Highstreet, away from the town square. She elegantly melted into the pavement, moving in the direction of what they both knew to be the residential district and the direction of the latest kidnapping site. She was determined to show him she could keep it together, regardless of how this evening had otherwise gone.

Unbeknownst to her, Alucard was using her brief moment of distraction to admire his young fledgling. More and more in these passing months he had found himself impressed with her ferocity, determination and countenance. He remembered the many generals he had fought alongside through the years, and how none compared to his Seras Victoria. He also remembered the many women he had chased after in his long life, and was not surprised to find them all wanting in comparison. They had been mostly human, and those that were not had always been selfish disappointments. Although he was sure of his own feelings, he was not entirely convinced of hers. Until the was sure, he would resist temptation a while longer. Chuckling up at the waxy moon above him, he allowed himself to melt into the inky puddles on the road, intent on following after his little fledgling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters, I really love the chemistry between the characters in this chapter, and it really get me in the mood for autumn. The dimly lit nights and drizzly rain just feel so homey to me. I'm British, misery has a certain comfort, what can I say.


	8. A New Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter shows us a little insight into Integra's mission. I hope you like how I've done her character for the story. I always find her a little hard to write, especially striking a balance between making her too terse to be interesting or too feminine to be in character. I, ofc take liberties here and there, but I appreciate any constructive advice on this or future chapters. As always hope you like it, Ciao x

* * *

**Chapter 8 – A New Dawn**

* * *

Seras stared up at the house, minorly impressed at its ability to be completely unremarkable in every possible way. Its white plastic framed windows, redbrick walls and TV aerial on the roof, made it a complete carbon copy of all its neighbours on the small suburban street. Clearly built around the turn of the century the houses were modern and spacious, but lacked the creative architecture and personality she had admired in the older districts of the town. If Seras didn't know perfectly well the cruelty of the world, she would have said it was almost impossible for anything bad to have happened in such a seemingly safe place.

The house was the very last on the lane, sharing only one side with a neighbour. The back garden gave way to the rolling landscape of the moors, purple heather colouring the uneven and eerie landscape. The house was prettily framed by a manicured lawn and tidy flowerbeds all contained by a low hedge line. The driveway, like most others on the street had a half-open car sat on its drive, the consistent rain staining the plush interiors and flooding the footwells.

Beside her Alucard began to twitch unusually. "We had better hurry up, Police Girl, we've got an hour before the sun rises" Seras gave him a quizzical look.

"I'm old enough to not burn in morning sun, you know." She didn't bother to hide her irritation at the remark, "and you're normally fine so long as it's cloudy or not the middle of the day. And I hardly think the weather will be forcing bright sunshine on us" She waved her hand in the air, rain splattering onto her gloves to emphasise her point. She pulled her shadows around her, the dark shield protecting her from the elements.

He gave her a withering look and a mild shoulder barge as he walked past her gliding towards the side of the, long red coat billowing out behind him in an unfelt breeze. She narrowed her eyes at the sight, convinced he was doing it on purpose for dramatic effect.

"Be as impudent as you like Police Girl, but don't come crying to me when the light blisters your skin when you're out too long". His comment was cruel and nonchalant as he walked away. Her glare only intensified, not that he took notice.

Alucard, with all of his usual tact and grace kicked open the flimsy fence that separated the front garden from the back, his face hardly registering the effort. On the other side, there lay a myriad of children's toys and playground furniture. The garden was by no means small, allowing enough room for a covered gazebo, patio and outdoor dining area on one side, with a large grassy area, complete with playhouse swings, on the other. The whole garden was surrounded by high fence and hedge combo that offered both privacy and some protection from the harsh winds that came off the moors.

Seras took on a slow meander, marvelling at the expense the family had put towards their child. Having only really experienced the orphanage gardens, this seemed wholly alien to her. She glanced over at Alucard, who had already investigated the gazebo before considering it insignificant and moving to examine the perimeter hedge.

' _This sort of thing must be strange for him too'._ She thought to herself. Although she reasoned everything must be strange to him. He was centuries old. She wondered how he kept track of it all, he always seemed interested in the changing technologies and felt a strange and sudden desire to ask him about his own childhood, to learn about what he was like all those years ago. The feeling started somewhere in her chest and slowly worked its way upwards till it sat just at the back of her throat, begging to become a question on her lips. She held back, knowing he would find the question either too personal or irrelevant and would likely become snippy and abrasive if she asked. There was also the added barrier that perhaps the middle of a child's homicide case was not the best place for personal small-talk.

Alucard, aware that he was being stared at, turned to face his irritating little fledgling who wore a rather gormless look on her face.

"What?" he asked, voice deep, rich and sullen as it reached her.

Seras, realising she had been caught staring, mentally scrabbled for an acceptable question to ask her master. Preferably one that wouldn't make her look like brain-dead fool.

"What does a boggart look like?" She offered with a lame smile, attempting to sell the question as valid. Whilst it wasn't necessarily the most inspired question the vampiress could have come up with, it wasn't the worst either.

He tilted his head and considering her question, before offering her a distressing grin "They look remarkably like a sentient, oversized, rotting turnip" his features pulled into a sinister sneer. "Their mouths make up most of their faces and their eyes look like piss holes in the snow. They are odious little shits, but they are shapeshifters, so it's rare you will see them in their true form. They prefer to take the disguise of small children, or animals, cats, hares or the such. Whatever's the most common to the area, or whatever amuses their negligible little brains." His sneer showed genuine disgust as he described them, an expression he tried to shake off as he turned back to his search of the garden. His attention focused on the back edge of the fence.

Seras, in an attempt to do something useful tried to pick up a trace of the child from the surrounding toys. Picking up a few different objects she tried her best to gain a scent, but the mixture of rain, and being left outside in the sun for days on end had cleaned them of any clues. Throwing the damned things to the floor, she crouched beside her master.

"Find anything?" she asked him, turning to scan the bottom of the hedge herself. She saw nothing other than what appeared to be a discarded toy tangled in the lower roots of the shrubbery, hardly unusual for a family home.

"Look carefully Seras" his voice authoritative "The broken twigs and the damage to the fence boards indicate that the child may have been dragged through here, and out onto the moors" He voice became grim as he continued. "They must have chosen the child because of the escape route. This would have required at least five boggarts to pull off, and they'd have been noticed going through town" Alucard turned, looking down at his draculina for her thoughts.

Seras seemed to consider his hypothesis against her own information, before her face settled into focused agreement.

"Yes" she nodded "All the other kidnapped children were taken from homes that backed onto the moors. At the time the police had thought they had just wandered off" she muttered disapprovingly, clearly critical of local constabulary's work. She bent closer to the hole, pushing around some of the branches. "But this hole is so small and there are no signs of a struggle. Are you certain this is big enough for five creatures and a child?"

"Boggarts are small enough to fit through, remember turnip sized. They aren't overly strong, so even with five of them they couldn't drag even a young child very far, even if it wasn't putting up a fight."

"Let's look on the other side of the hedge" she said, determination lighting up her voice. She suited being back in the groove of police investigation. She looked up to the sky, seeing the moon closing in on the horizon. "We still have time" She could feel the sun approaching, and her powers begin to weaken as the night slipped away from her, but she wouldn't let the investigation go unfinished. Without waiting for her master's opinion on the matter, she melted through the hedge and walked out to the wilderness of the grasslands.

The wind hit her like a cold and herd, her hair tangling in damp matts. Inside the town the high walls and winding roads had protected her from the harsh September wind. But out here, no such cover was on offer. The rain picked up becoming cold needles in the wind and she was forced to drop her shadows, conserving her dwindling energy. Her clothes quickly became soaked, sticking to her skin causing a shiver to roll across her body. Suppressing the tremble Seras tried to find something to indicate where the creatures might have dragged the child off to. Her eyes scouring the empty land before her, keen to not lose momentum..

Alucard joined her, his own shadows flicking across the grassland. She watched as the black coils congregated over a spot about 10 meters ahead of her. If his shadows hadn't pooled over the area she wouldn't have seen it as all that different, but as she moved closer she could see the faintest sign of drag marks in the damp mud. It became painfully obvious now, the child had been wrenched from its garden unwilling and fighting. She sniffed the air and caught a brief tang of old dried blood mixed with something putrid and sour. Moving to the focal point of the shadows, she brushed them aside to reveal a clump of grass, drooping bunder the wight of a small leather bag filled with polished stones.

Emptying the bag into her gloved palm, she guessed the stones to be amethysts, their deep purple colour speckled with crystallised white. She turned each one carefully watching as they glistened under the rain and moonlight. Each one had the exact same rune neatly carved onto its surface. Seras ran her finger over the delicate carvings, realising some were speckled in the child's blood. It smelt faintly sweet against re-hydrated by the rain, but was mostly obscured by the horrific stench of decay emanating from the bag they had come out of.

"Master what on earth is that smell?" she asked looking up into his spectacles, suddenly looming at her side. He wrinkled his nose plucking one of the gems from her hand. The blood glittered at her appealingly, as the rain washed the stones clean. Shivering in suppressed delight , she wiped her free hand off onto her skirt in a nervous fidget.

"Boggart blood," he said "the putrid creatures smell bad enough on their own, but their blood is vile. It's no good to drink and will leave you queasy if you try. Only vampires like us would be able to keep it down, but my bloodline is far too noble to drink such swill" He let his shadows move over the stones, examining them closely. "These however, my dear little fledgling, are sleeping stones. I've seen them used for centuries by superstitious fools. Generally, theses stones are useless trinkets sold by quacks and hags under the insinuation they would help the purchaser sleep" He pulled a disgusted face, clearly not a fan of those attempting sell fake magic. Seras noticed how his language become older and more stylised as he spoke, clearly he was remembering another time. He opened his mouth to continue "But, if created by a real witches or warlock these little stones have serious and very real effects. On a human they could cause anything from peaceful slumber to a permeant coma"

"Are these real then master?" Seras was certain she could feel a magical charge from them, now she tried, but the rising sun behind her severely dulled her powers.

"Yes" his tone clipped "These are powerful enough to even make you feel drowsy. If you were any stronger then maybe not, but you do not practice your skills enough Seras Victoria" She rolled her eyes. Was he really choosing now as the time to lecture her?

He took the remaining stones off of Seras, and placed them in his pocket; throwing the putrid smelling bad away.

He had intended to enjoy the ride back to base with his fledgling, perhaps having another race with her, but it was clear that her powers were failing her. She couldn't even make a shield to protect her from the rain, let alone summon a whole new bike. He looked over to her, skin damp from the insipid rain of the evening, coating her hair, making it heavy against her scalp. Small golden wisps of stuck out at odd angles making her look crazed and wild against the backdrop of the vast fields of heather.

"Seras!" his voice echoed through the empty field, capturing her whole attention. "It is time all good little draculina's went to bed, don't you think?" he spoke with a seductive tone, holding out a single hand as if he was offering her a dance. She looked at the rising sun, still worried that she might burn even in the morning sun. Gathering her courage, she slowly approached him, hips swaying as she walked over the uneven ground to reach him. Her shadows attempted to remove the damp from her clothes and hair but in the light of the morning sun she could barely summon a flicker of darkness.

"I'll have to debrief the team when I get back." She rattled out, clearly tired and wanting to rest. "They can continue the search whilst we sleep"

"As you wish Police girl" His tone was indulgent, clearly content to wait for her to make the first move. She knew he enjoyed warping her places, mostly because it often made her dizzy but also because he got a chance to show off his prowess with umbral magic.

She slipped her hand into his, and felt he heady rush as he pulled her close to his body. For reasons known only to him, the ancient vampire started a slow and gentle waltz as the darkness curled around them. She felt brief tingles along her skin as his hand intertwined with her own, his other arm snaked around her waist. The warmth of his hand at the small of his back sent delightful spurts of electricity along her spine as his fingers began to trace small circles there. She saw some emotion flick through his eyes, but she was too wrapped up in the intoxicating atmosphere surrounding him to know what it was.

"I am impressed with your display of power tonight" his chest rumbling against her own. She felt his body shift as he lowered his lips to her ear "but I will show you to be a thousand times more powerful one day, my Seras Victoria" He chuckled wickedly, as she stiffened in his grasp, attempting to pull away from his now crushing hold on her body.

Before she had time to think, she felt his shadows, warm and electrifying curl around them, and the world shift around them. She was not unused to the feeling, having travelled this way with him on many occasions, but she still instinctively clung to him tightly. Alucard was unusually receptive to her touch, snaking his fingers up to soothe the nape of her neck briefly, before they glided back down to her arms.

Before she was able to mourn the tender touch, the shadows around her began to dissipate to reveal that they were back in the living room of Arklay cottage, being stared down by a large chunk of her men. The nausea slowly began to creep up on her, Alucard grinned cruelly.

"Ma'am?" The concerned tones of her second in command spoke up first. She turned to see Rodgers eying her and Alucard up, a healthy dose of curiosity aimed at her, and ill-disguised displeasure aimed at him. Regrettably, most of her team appeared to be in the main cottage, and all had watched attentively as the elder vampire released his hold of their captain, his dark eyes burning down at her. Whilst they all found his expression bloodcurdling, Seras only felt her legs wobble in response to the travel sickness, and fought to remain up-right without her master's support.

Stepping away from Alucard, she held her breath in an attempt to settle her stomach and turned to address her troop.

"Alucard will be joining us for the mission troops, so I want you to accommodate for his presence as best you can." It wasn't hard to see the younger members were far more scared of her master than they were of her. The older members were smart enough to know the dangers posed by both vampires was equal . "Despite what you might think, I'm still in charge of this mission and will not stand for anyone deferring to his authority over mine. Am I clear!?"

"Yes Ma'am!" The group chorused back at her, all standing to attention at her words. Alucard took this as his cue to leave and phased away, presumably down into the basement. She glared at his fading form, jealous of his powers and of his ability to skip debriefings. The arrogant Bastard always did that

Seras had taken a good thirty minutes to fill her men in on the specifics she and Alucard had uncovered for the evening, as well as organise her plans for the troop's daylight movements. Thoroughly exhausted having stayed up well past sunrise, Seras fumbled down the stairs of the basement, firmly closing the door on the inquisitive looks from Rodgers. She desperately needed to sleep, and really didn't want to talk to him right now. Lovely fellow, was Rodgers, but irritatingly protective sometimes.

To her shock the basement was seemingly devoid of any Alucard-like presences. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Seras kicked off her heavy boots, and relieved herself of her sodden clothing. Her bra and underwear were fine to sleep in, but everything else she hung off the back of the only chair in the room.

She pushed open the lid of the box she usually slept in, intending to crawl in and sleep as deeply as she possibly could, only to find that her resting place was already partially occupied by her master. The box was certainly still large enough to accommodate both of their forms, but they would still end up touching in such a small space.

Sharing a coffin or sleeping box wasn't an unusual occurrence for the vampires, having frequently shared spaces on extended missions overseas before. But normally Integra had granted them a larger space than this. Coffins, as a rule were already difficult enough to get through customs or into the back of military vans, so Integra had frequently only allowed the transport of one at a time. It also reduced the amount of paperwork their shared master had to fill out if there was only one coffin, so sharing one large coffin had just become the norm.

Despite her familiarity with sharing a coffin, however, Seras found herself apprehensive to share a space so small, particularly whilst she was unclothed. The prospect of being seen in her bare essentials by her master was alarming and exhilarating in equal measure, and she was unsure which emotion she would rather give credence to. She turned back to the solo chair, hoping to some old god that her clothes might just be dry enough to sleep in. But, unfortunately, it seemed as though her prayers would go unanswered today. The uniform was completely soaked through, a small puddle dripping onto the stone floor beneath them.

"So, you've finally come to bed Seras" Alucard's voice rang from the interior of the box, oddly charming, but surprisingly inoffensive. He sounded genuinely tired, and somewhat muggy with being woken. He sat up and looked at her, crimson eyes dark with fatigue, his hair wavy and hanging just past his shoulders. He appeared to have forgone his outerwear, as well as his shirt and glasses, as he frequently during in the day.

"Where is your shirt?" She demanded, not afraid to be haughty, attempting to hide her modesty behind the chair. ' _Really_ ,' she thought, ' _if he does have to see me in my underwear, why does it have to be my ugly ones?'_

"I'm sleeping Seras, I don't need it" He sounded irritated by her hysterics, clearly not understanding her problem.

"I want it, lend it to me!" His eyes narrowed at her request, scrutinising her appearance, taking devilishly long to look her up and down. A small self-satisfied smirk on his face. It would seem he had finally worked out she was stood there completely without clothing.

"And what will I get in return for may charity" His voice perked up, his tone carrying a playful air. Clearly he saw this as a game of sorts. Seras rolled her eyes, and stood a little taller in an attempt to look more commanding, hands on sumptuous hips. This did very little to actually work as her body was still mostly hidden behind the chair.

"Let me have it and stop being crass" she retorted, a small smile playing on her own lips. A small pool of shadows opened up above her head and his oversized shirt landed on her head. After a brief struggle to pull the damned thing off her, and get dressed into it, Seras buttoned up the front and gave a playful twirl. The thing was ludicrously big on her, longer than her normal uniform. She had done the buttons up far enough to keep her modesty, but allowed the top of her cleavage to be seen.

"What do you think? 'Suits me better I rekon" she gave him a sly look before sauntering over to the box and leaning on the edge, elbows resting on the rim, and hands underneath her chin. She took the moment to look up into her master's face. His eyes were gleaming with something deep and luxurious, and her fingers itched with the temptation to run along his handsome jawline and play with his silky curls.

"Positively ravishing" he slowly drawled a wide, good humoured grin on his features. He took one of her hands and easily lifted her over the side of the box; pulling her into the cushioned space with him.

Seras settled into the crook of his arm, her legs curling up towards her chest, allowing his longer limbs to fully encompass her. Embraces like this always made her feel completely at ease and protected. Despite her masters more irritating qualities, she couldn't deny that he was a perfectly calming presence during the daylight hours. ' _Perhaps it is because he is my sire?'_ she wondered to herself. _'Perhaps this feeling would fade away if I drank his blood?'._ She wrinkled her nose at the thought, unwilling to lose one the few true comforts of her un-life. As uncommon as such embraces were between the two of them, she had grown to look forward to them, no longer ruled by nervousness in her master's company.

Alucard pulled the lid to a close, and Seras snuggled against him instinctively as the movement caused shivers to ripple down her spine. He stiffened almost imperceptibly behind her, before melting around her once again, his chin settling into the arch at the nape of her neck. In the warmth of his touch Seras quickly found her eyes growing heavy with sleep.

"Sleep well, Alucard" her voice softened to a gentle whisper.

"Good day, my Seras Victoria." He uttered back, his voice a rumbling lullaby pushing her off towards sleep.

* * *

**In a Helicopter Over The Irish Sea**

* * *

Integra watched as the last of the night faded away from the bright sunlight of the horizon. From the helicopters windows she could see the warm light reflect off the Irish sea, the coast of Ireland steadily approaching in the distance. Seras' mission had made good progress confirming the presence of botching's in the area, as well as a possible unidentified fiend seemed operating in the same location.

The knight itched for a cigar to calm her nerves, but forcefully refrained from lighting one up in the small confides of the aircraft. That would be far less than polite for her newest pilot. The outbreaks in the north and even those in Ireland seemed to be small parts of an increasing number of strange attacks across the small isles. All these attacks seemed to have committed by traditionally peaceful or withdrawn fiends.

Just last month the Hellsing organisation had been forced to exterminate an entire Hobgoblin clan. The creatures had previously been thought to have been extinct since the early seventeenth century, after they had been hunted down for their internal organs, which were said to hold great healing powers. To the organisation's complete surprise, the small Hobgoblin clan had appeared near the coastal town of Grimsby. Whilst Integra would have been content to leave the typically harmless beings to their own devices, they appeared to have been driven irrevocably insane by a strange disease. It had been a shame to see such gentle creatures so corrupted and twisted, but they had begun to cause concerns in the town, spreading a foul plague amongst the human population. In the end Integra had been forced to destroy every last one of them and burn their remains to stop the spread of the plague.

Intelligence from their European departments indicated that events such as these had not reached the main continent yet, but Hellsing's presence over the sea had become severely diminished since the turn of the century.

She chewed her bottom lip as she looked out on the rolling waves below her, the anxious fidget causing the flesh to swell and gain a little colour. The gesture was a bad habit of her youth, and had always been discouraged by her shrill school mistress and many of her female peers of the realm. But Integra had never been good at listening to advice on manners. She ignored the internal disapproving voices and focused her attention on the approaching meeting with the Judas priest. She was set to touch down at Belfast airport within the hour, and from there shed be escorted to her hotel. She'd be graced with a single merciful hour's rest before Anderson was set to arrive. The schedule was tight, and she really should try to rest on the flight, but helicopters were notoriously loud, and she was a light sleeper even at the best of times.

Despite not particularly liking Iscariot and all its loyal followers, she had grown to tolerate Alexander over the years and was secretly thankful the Vatican had deemed it appropriate to send him instead of one of their foolhardier young recruits. In her opinion, some of them she really could do with a good shot to the leg, or maybe the shoulder. She doubted Anderson would have the ability to disagree with her. The again, he was more of the stabbing type.

She gave a brief smile to herself, wondering if he would have any interesting new conversation topics to discuss. When they had last met in Rome, after he had stopped skulking around; following her around the city, they had talked for hours about occult history and age old military strategies in a small quaint little café. Quite despite themselves they had had an oddly pleasant discussion, ended all too abruptly by a disruptive call from his superiors asking where the hell he had disappeared off to. Even back then, Integra had wondered if under different circumstances, she may have considered the priest almost amicable.

She shook her head free of such thoughts. She was certain that, if anyone from the round table had known about her familiarity with Anderson, her sanity, if not her loyalty, would have been questioned. She doubted Iscariot would have sent him if they knew about it either, so Anderson must have neglected to mention it to his own peers also. Clearly such a friendship would be doomed, it was best to keep him as a worthy rival. Safer for them both if they at least appeared to want to kill each other.

A slight glance behind her, reminded Integra that she would be accompanied by two of her best bodyguards on this mission. Both of the men had managed to fall asleep despite the loud spinning of the rotors, a necessary side effect of working as a soldier she surmised. The older of the two had recently been hired to the position from amongst the militia ranks. He was a stern general in his mid-forties, his deep frown lines caused in equal parts by demanding job, and an equally severe wife. The younger man had been with her since the attack of Incognito. He was only five years older than Integra, but held a world weary look in his eyes, that occasionally gave the effect of a much older man. She had wondered at times if her own eyes ever looked like that to others. No one had ever said, and she knew better than to ask.

As if aware he was being watched, the younger man shifted slightly and opened his eyes, his gaze casually meeting her own before she could turn away. He gave her a small polite smile and tilted his head slightly.

"Everything okay Sir?", he couldn't quite keep the drowsy tone out of his voice, but he never failed to maintain propriety. His accent indicated he had once partaken in a good education somewhere up north, but a continued residence in the south had worn down its more sever edges.

"Hmm? Oh, yes everything's fine Richard." She felt comfortable enough using his first name under such casual circumstances, "I was just wondering how you and General Vargas could sleep so easily that is all" She offered her own modest smile in return.

"Of course, Sir. Military training, I reckon. You not having the same luck?" Beside him Vargas gave a deep snore, adding to the rumbling background noise that surrounded them.

"Not yet I'm afraid." Her smile widened slightly "Perhaps I've been living in luxury too long. Maybe I should spend some time down in the barracks to get used to a little discomfort again "her joke was feeble and half-hearted. They both know she should never do any such thing, for her noble peers would have more than one issue with the arrangement.

"Well whilst I'm sure you may find it grounding Sir, I think it might unsettle some of the more nervous men" he humoured her jest. She laughed at the idea of how uncomfortable her men would be in the permeant presence of their intimidating leader. "Although I wouldn't mind seeing you visit every once in a while" Richard said with an earnest smile, the jokey tone not quite sticking to the words. She raised an eyebrow at the slightly bold comment and watched as he shifted in his seat slightly.

"Just meaning it'd be nice to see you have a chance to relax a little Sir" He turned away from her to look out the window, taking on a more relaxed pose now that he couldn't see her scrutinising frown. "You're always working in the big house, 'twas what I meant. It'd be nice to know you took a break. For your health and such. Sir" he coughed uncomfortably, clearly feeling the conversation had strayed a little too personal to be professional.

Integra, who was not used to such frankness from Richard in front of others, responded with a curt "Indeed Lieutenant Maxwell" before turning back to face the front window of the chopper. She gave a side-long glance at the pilot, but with his helmet and microphone on it was impossible to see if his expression had changed at the conversation. Behind her she could still hear Vargas snoring away. At least he had not witnessed the awkward encounter.

Above them the sun had fully bloomed over the horizon, welcoming the morning with its eager rays and the coast of Ireland passed under them. They would be at Belfast in a matter of minutes and she would finally be able to get some rest. She hoped this mission would be simple enough to not cause her too much of a headache.


	9. A Very Catholic Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Integra settles in to her Hotel in Ireland, but an unexpected arrival tilts the scales towards violence.

* * *

Chapter 9 - A very Catholic Breakfast

* * *

Integra awoke to insistent knocking from her bedroom door, shattering her briefly pleasant dream. Glancing over at the clock on her bedside, the bright red numbers 07:30 flashed tauntingly. Gods, she hadn't even had two hours rest yet. She groaned, burying her head in the lavish bedding that surrounded her, the morning light forcing its way around the heavy drapes coving her window.

The knock came louder the second time, and was accompanied by the clear tones of her primary bodyguard, Lieutenant Richard Maxwell.

"Sorry to disturb you Sir, but the catholic priest has arrived. He's wanting to see you.". She heard the familiar and grumpy voice of the Scotsman in question rumbling in the distance. From the sounds of it Anderson was halfway engaged in an argument with bodyguard, to his credit, sounded to be holding his own against the ridiculous scotsman.

She sat up, glaring at the door, already sick of the man waiting on the other side.

"Damn Catholics" she grumbled, "always expect everyone to work to their bloody time schedule". She continued to mumble a long string of vulgarities as she rolled out of bed, her body slow from the lack of sleep. Her fingers against her nightdress, and she was reminded of its flimsy nature. It was longer than her summer ones, reaching just above her knees, but it was far too low cut to make business deals in. She had to change.

Placing her glasses on her nose, she just made it over to her dresser, when she heard the dulcet tones of Alexander Anderson reach new ear-splitting heights. This was followed by several loud crashes and the uncommon sound of Richard yelling, before the knocking at her door started again.

"Ma'am! Please!" Her bodyguards distress had apparently caused him to forget use her formal title of _Sir_. This was not the first time he had been overly familiar with her; Integra was going to have to have a chat with him about these little slip ups.

"Goddamn it, I'm coming!". Feeling the pressing urgency of the situation and the lack of better alternatives, she pulled on a hotel dressing gown and her small pistol concealed under her pillow. It wasn't as threatening as her bigger one, but it wasn't like either one would do much damage to a regenerator. Rushing through the door, she let it slam against the wall, her pistol raised, eyes glaring at the three men stood in her hotel suite.

"Who's the fucking genius who decided to make such ungodly racket in my rooms so early in the god-damned morning?" she bellowed at the three men, certain her neighbours could hear every word. She pointed the gun directly at the priest's forehead, the polished metal glinting off the morning sun.

As a regenerator he had the ability to heal his wounds, much like a vampire could. The skill had been gained through a horrifically painful scientific research, or so were the rumours. Despite these abilities he remained at least somewhat mortal, so his soul was not completely condemned. Or so the Vatican believed. Either way her shot wouldn't have killed him, but it might slow him down if he made a move for her.

Despite her entrance, Anderson was more concerned with glaring down Vargas. The large settee behind the priest had tipped over onto its back, along with a few chairs, likely the sources of the loud crashes from earlier. The last of her unpacked luggage had also been upended, but thankfully their contents had remained inside. Her men had their guns trained at the chest of looming priest, but their faces had faltered slightly at her reprimand. Vargas was the first to break the silence.

"He started it" he said, shunting his chin in Anderson's direction. The statement sounded juvenile coming from a man as old as the General.

"I did nae such thing!" Anderson snapped at the older bodyguard. "You, heathen fuckwit, told me to _know ma place_ " His Scottish lilt became exasperated by anger. "Your protestant presence is hardly worth ma spit on the ground! As if I'd listen to a single words comin' out your filthy mouth".

Richard, put on edge at the display, slowly moved to place himself between the priest and Sir Integra. He glanced at her over his shoulder, frowning as he realised her under-dressed state. He fought the urge to push her towards the exit, knowing she would chew him out for such a move. Thankfully, Anderson had barely even seemed to notice her presence, being far more focused on the taunts of Vargas than the female Knight. Richard couldn't understand why the old man had started this dammed argument. The last thing they needed was a fight in the middle of a co-op mission.

Integra made an ugly snort, already tired of the theatrics of the Iscariot organisation. She had hardly been awake five minutes and Anderson had spoiled her hotel room and patience in equal measure. What talent this man had.

"If you have quite finished throwing petulant taunts at my men, Alexander, I would sorely like get this meeting over with" she spat her words at him, hoping the use of his first name might penetrate his thick skull faster than the usual bureaucracy. She did her best to glide forward with elegance, all whilst maintaining her pistols aim. She had'nt had issues with Anderson behaving like this years, she wondered breifly what had made him act so out-of-character.

She drifted past Richard at a steady pace, making sure to shoot both he and Vargas a disapproving look.

"Guns down, both of you. It'll do us no good to get kicked out on our first day". When they both hesitated, her tone became harsh, "Now goddamnit!".

Slowly they lowered their weapons and reluctantly holstered them. She lowered her own, but it still hung available in her fingers. Richard fell in-step with her movements keeping a few feet behind her as she moved towards Anderson.

"Good morning Alexander, it really hasn't been long enough since I saw you last". She kept her tone sickly sweet, her smile just pleasant enough to be considered polite. She waved her free hand towards the toppled sofa behind him. "Please, sit".

Returning her smile, he righted the settee and lounged on it casually. The sofa was a trendy combination of velvet forest green coverings, trimmed with gold and black detailing. Despite the man's large frame, it somehow managed to accommodate him comfortably enough.

"Are you ever without a gun, woman, or is this nightwear accessory just for my entertainment?". He casually waved at her ludicrously tiny pistol. It was so small it could only ever be used by her, his own fingers far too large to even pull the trigger. He made no attempts to match her formal tone or partake in aristocratic conversation. They had known each other long enough to understand how this dance worked, he refused to participate in the needless formalities. He always wondered why she still practiced them. Was it to seem more dignified in front of the enemy, or just simple habit from years in the english court? As of yet he had not found the answer.

Deciding that informality might breed a more friendly environment Integra conceded to sink to Andersons level. "Don't worry Alexander, I use this gun to threaten all kinds of people. You're not getting any special treatment", she said blithely.

The priest couldn't help but smile broadly at the woman before him, an action that clearly perturbed her bodyguard and earned him a harsh glare. He recognised the bodyguard, one of her more common ones, but he couldn't quite place his name. Anderson watched as the man righted on of the chairs, brushed it free of some imaginary flint and offered her the seat. The gesture reminded him of Walter, and he felt some acute disappointment that the old man was not accompanying Integra on this mission.

Integra gracefully sat in the offered chair; the bodyguard moving to stand behind her, arms crossed and eyes glaring daggers at the priest. Anderson tried not to seem too happy at having provoked the man.

"Thank you Richard" She said, before turning to look over at her other bodyguard. "Vargas," she commanded "wait outside, and see if you could fetch us that planned breakfast from room service? It is too early for me to face a Catholic on an empty stomach" She gave Alexander a charming smile, and he could swear he heard the boy behind her snigger.

Vargas shuffled out with no small amount of attitude, leaving Anderson alone with the Integra and her little lap dog.

"So, Alexander, what is it you so desperately needed to speak with me about so early in the morning?" She crossed her legs out of habit, the gesture causing her dressing gown to move slightly; revealing her bottom of her thigh. She placed her hand at the hem to stop it traveling up any further, irritated that she forgot her exposed state of dress. She was getting too comfortable in these meetings, that was not a good sign. She fought to maintain an impassive front.

Anderson, who was severely unused to seeing her so informally dressed quickly moved his gaze to look her square in the eyes. Richard, unfortunately, was not so fast. His eyes rested on small inch of revealed skin for just a hair longer than was strictly necessary, before focusing instead on some point on the far wall. Integra, who was busy staring down the priest, failed to notice her lieutenant's lapse in eyesight. But Anderson had caught it. He also saw the slight tightening of the lapdog's jawline and the stiffness creeping into the man's shoulders. _Interesting_ , he thought to himself.

Keen to drive the conversation to a more manageable area, Anderson began to explain his presence. "Iscariot gave me strict orders to make contact with you as soon as I arrived, and since you were kind enough to book us rooms that shared living space, I found myself at your disposal earlier than expected.". He rifled through the inside pocket of his jacket and threw a beige paper file onto the coffee table between them. The corners were dog-eared, and the surface had become crumpled in transport. "They also want you sign these papers. As usual it's something about relinquishing control of Hellsing to the Vatican and submitting yourself to the unquestionable might of the Catholic church" He tried his hardest to sound professional, but it was hard not to sound bored as he rattled through his usual mandated speech at her. She didn't seem all that interested in them, nor did she even bother to pick up the file he'd pulled out. She never did. "Head office seems a bit miffed by your interest in these events." He offered conversationally, keen to move past the typical customs "Apparently they find themselves otherwise occupied at the moment and would rather not deal with you spreading your protestant agenda across this catholic land. At least ye did not bring your hellish monsters with you. They will appreciate that"

Integra raised a nonchalant eyebrow at him, the orange light of the morning glinting off her round spectacles.

"I didn't do it for their benefit" she said glibly. She sighed and twitched her fingers, keen for a cigar, knowing she couldn't smoke inside anymore. The lack of sleep and nicotine made her impatient. "Was that all you really needed Anderson? Is this all you woke me for?" She sorely wanted to crawl back into bed, feeling her limited time and energy already wasted on this morning's shenanigans. She didn't wait for him to answerer before she started to barrage him with pointed questions. "Honestly you cause a horrific commotion at seven thirty in the morning, for what? Dammed bureaucratic bullshit? Furthermore, what has the damned Vatican so distracted that they cannot care to keep an eye on me? Or, for that matter, protect the citizens of this island they always so boldly laid a claim to?" Her eyes sparkled in irritation and condescension; Alexander found himself rising to her bait before he could stop himself.

"I'd ask ye not to desecrate my organisation so wilfully, woman. After all, it was ye who contacted us in the first place. I certainly did nay ask to be sent to the dinge of Ireland when I could be back at the orphanage doing God's work there" He tried to take a breath to calm himself, but with just one look at her smug face he found himself unable to. He pointed one of his large gloved fingers at her face "And my organisation has protected these lands for millennia, yours has only stuck it's nose in where it is not wanted, stirring up all kind of trouble in the meantime".

"My organisation is the one who came here to solve a string of murders!" she began to wave her arm emphatically "I am the only one who seems to care about your precious people's deaths. Do not blame me for the damage caused by the Vatican's deliberate ignorance in this matter!" she was perilously close to yelling, and her stomach growled along with her. Thankfully, he was too wrapped up in their argument to point it out.

"You say that now, but I bet you, this will all be the fault of Hellsing one way or the other!" he leaned forward slightly, her own body moving to mimicking him. Her neckline fell forward slightly and he fought to control his gaze, looking right into her burning blue irises instead.

"Oh really?" She asked, her voice taking on a lower rumble "And what would you bet, Judas priest?" She placed both her hands on the coffee table as she leant towards him, looming at him. From this new position Anderson couldn't ignore the gaping of her neckline and was forced to lean back and focus on looking pointedly out of the window. He muttered something like 'I'll work that out later' from behind the gloved hand as he scratched at his stubble. He glanced at the bodyguard, who was clearly uncomfortable that he'd got so close. Anderson grumbled internally, unable to understand why the man was so hostile towards him. If anything, Anderson felt he was being more reasonable than she was.

Integra smiled at the mild victory and leant back into her chair, pulling her gown more securely around her shoulders. She hadn't meant to distract him from their argument like that, but wasn't complaining about winning. Slipping her tiny revolver into one of her pockets as she re-arranged the gown to sit tighter around her neck. Her fingers fidgeted with the collar nervously as a timid knock came from the door.

Everyone remained quiet as it opened to reveal the second bodyguard, closely followed by a young maid pushing a heavily laden tea-trolly, piled high with delicious looking breakfast food. If she was confused as to why a priest might be in such a lavish hotel with an underdressed english woman she did not show it.

"Perfect" Integra said to the small woman "You can leave it all here, thank you" She gave a small gesture with her left hand and Richard moved away to tip the girl and usher her and Vargas back out the room. As he reached the door himself, he turned back and looked expectantly at her. "Wait outside Richard, I will call if I need you".

To Anderson's amusement, the man shot a heavily suspicious glare at him, before nodding and leaving.

As soon as the door had clicked shut Integra was up on her feet and padding over to the trolly. She took an empty plate and piled it high with what looked to be a hearty helping of beans, sausages, hash browns and fried mushrooms. Anderson always admired a woman with a hearty appetite, but he hadn't ever considered Integra would be such a woman. He fully expected her to move over to the dining area that was provided, but instead she wandered back over to the sitting area placing her plate on the low coffee table that sat between them. Even more to his surprise, she sat down on the floor, curling her knees to her side and leaning one elbow on the table for support

The smell of fried food reached his nose and a loud growling noise came from his stomach. he eyed her plate greedily. There was an awkward passage of time, as he tried very hard not to look too hungry as he flicked through a newspaper left on the coffee table. She silently ate about half her meal, before letting out a small sigh.

"It's there for you too" She muttered between mouthfuls, clearly having noticed his interest. "I remembered you once said that Iscariot never fed you regenerators enough, so I took the liberty of ordering something I thought you'd like" He looked at her, genuine astonishment coating his features. He'd not remembered saying that to her, but she was right, damn her. He was always hungry out on missions and even sometimes at the orphanage. It seemed that despite the Vatican's willingness to create regenerators, they were not always willing to maintain the exhaustive upkeep of them. The obscene amounts of food it took to maintain his size as well as his regeneration powers had been part of the reason why he thought there were not more regenerators around. Particularly when considering that regenerators were often sent to places that were poor or rundown, it wasn't reasonable to expect a foreign offices to feed more than one of them at a time.

He wanted to ask her when he'd mentioned it, or why she had bothered to remember and get him something eat ahead of time. Technically as an enemy to her organisation she would be better off letting him starve. Again, the woman had confused him. Instead of these questions he instead offered a measly "Cheers", before standing from the sofa.

She didn't look up from her sausages and gave a small shrug, reaching for the newspaper he'd left behind, flicking to a page about halfway through. He walked over to the trolley, taking off his overcoat and gloves and hanging them neatly on the back of a chair along the way. He inspected the food on offer, mainly consisting of traditional English breakfast foods. He began piling his own plate in the same manner as she had, adding on an extra helping of scrambled eggs, bacon and even some smoked salmon.

"What, No fried tomatoes?" He asked her jovially.

She looked up and offered him a disgusted nose wrinkle from over her newspaper, "They are revolting. I don't want them anywhere near me or my breakfast food". She huffed and went back to reading; Anderson chuckled. Sometimes she truly did act like a petulant child, she really ought to have grown out of such displays by now. He had intended to sit at the dining table she had neglected, but as he approached, he saw why Integra had opted to sit hunched over the coffee table instead. Scattered across the surface were numerous case files, each containing crime scene reports, victim profiles and lord knows what else. The sight of dead bodies may have put others off their breakfast, but he was used to such things, having been engaged it warfare most of his life. His flight had taken hours too, and he'd not been able to eat back at the orphanage before he left, so he wasn't about to waste good because of a few pictures.

Brushing some of the papers aside he put his plate down and took a seat, shuffling through the reports closest to him.

"I did nay realise there were so many dead" He said aloud, taking a large mouthful of fried foods. He heard the clattering of a plate and the rustle of paper behind him, but didn't bother to look around, too engrossed in the autopsy reports in front of him.

"So, you admit it's a substantial oversight of your organisation?" She probed, clearly helping herself to something from the dining cart again.

"I said no such thing." He quipped back, continuing to read about one of the catholic victims "All I said is I was surprised. I cannae speak for Iscariot Integra. Not all of us are lucky enough to fully understand our organisations intentions as you are". He offered a smile and looked over his shoulder as she approached him. She was carrying two large mugs of what smelt like very expensive coffee. Sitting in the chair next to him she placed one mug next to his plate, cupping the other in her hands. She brought it up to her face, the warm steam rising around her soft features. She began to shuffle through the papers he had disturbed, a look of irritation coating her face.

He stared down at his mug in confusion. She'd got his regular coffee order exactly right, strong with a splash of milk and two sugars. It was hardly a complex thing, but even the nuns at the orphanage got it wrong sometimes. When had she bothered to learn it?

She didn't even look at him, instead opting to act all business, as usual. She re-organised the piles he had knocked askew with his brief investigation, tsking at the mess he'd apparently made. "I think it looks like a succubus" she said flatly. Anderson fought to not spit out his breakfast.

"A succubus? In Ireland? In the 21st century? Are you barmy woman?" he spoke through his mouthful, and she did not bother to hide her disgust.

"Charming Alexander. But I am quite serious. It lines up with the evidence we have"

"Oh really!?" His Scottish tones echoed in the large room.

"Yes really! I am not an imbecile! Look,". She pulled out a number of victim profiles and autopsy to thrust them at him. "all our victims were completely drained of all bodily fluids. Traditionally Succubae only drain the life force of their victims, but if they are starving they can convert essential fluids of the body into nourishment." She pointed at the reports, as if he didn't know perfectly well the abilities of daemons. "All the victims were either divorced or widowers with psych profiles that indicate them to have been lonely and a little desperate. They were all quite young, none older than forty years of age. Every single one of them had sex just hours before their deaths. And they all took part in a speed dating event in the week before the death! These are all the hallmarks of a succubae's prey and feeding ground!" She waved dramatically at the files, encouraging him to double check the files to prove her wrong. And read he did. Finishing his mountainous breakfast, he took a sip of the coffee and scanned through the documents, trying to find fault in her reasoning.

"Okay fine" He muttered "Your right, they all have this in commo-"

"These are all trademark signs of a succubus and you know it!" she interrupted, a slender pale finger pointed, hovering before his face. He swatted the offending digit away and sighed deeply.

"Yes, but these attacks are all in different towns, both above and below the border. And," he gave a dramatic pause for emphasis "there hasn't been a real recorded succubus north of Italy since the seventieth century. Their kind all but disappeared after their last queen was killed. They've only roamed as loners since then, and there is no way one succubus could do all this so quickly. It'd die from overfeeding so much. You said yourself they only feed like this when they are starving. It has to be something else."

"What if it's more than one." She offered pointing at him again, her coffee all but forgotten sat on the table "Just because they've roamed as loners for an age doesn't mean they'll stay that way" she tried her best to sound convincing, but he didn't seem swayed. She sighed and sat back in her chair and thought for a second, staring at the impossible man for inspiration. She always came up with her best ideas when she was irritated, and his face normally caused her to get aggravated in some way or another. He just smiled slightly, drinking deeply from his mug.

"You said Iscariot has been busy on the mainland?" she asked demurely as she could, eyes all innocence and charm. As the blue depths of her eyes sparkled up at him Anderson felt a sense of dread in his stomach and his smile slowly faded from his face.

"Aye, there's been a good few hunts" he muttered, not liking that he'd let that slip. If he gave her too much rope she'd hang them both with it if he wasn't careful.

"Would any of those _hunts_ you mentioned, just _happen_ to concern creatures Iscariot had thought long gone or otherwise _peaceful_ and _benign_?" she fluttered her eyelashes and coated words with saccharine. It had been a strategy she'd seen Seras implement against Alucard, when the little vampiress wanted to get her way, and up until now Integra had never had the chance to try it herself.

Anderson narrowed his eyes at her. "What are ye about woman?" Clearly she'd hit a nerve. He was unusually cagy.

"I'll take that as a yes then" she said, her small victorious smile playing on her lips. Anderson's sense of dread spread through his chest, at her expression, making his breath feel tight and flustered at being so easily played.

"And so, what if that's right? No that I'm sayin' it is, ken?" Integra's smile widened. She always enjoyed how his accent got stronger when talking to her. It was proof she got on his nerves.

"Of course not." She soothed, "But if that _were_ true, it would not be unreasonable to think such a thing could happen here In Ireland. Could it?"

"No… I suppose not" he grumbled out, looking rather defeated as he drained his mug. Integra kept from revealing the exact number of cases back in England and Scotland, but she was sure he would work it out eventually. This was alarming news indeed. How much was Iscariot hiding from her? And how many attacks were happening to keep them so distracted. It must be in the hundreds to have such an effect. But for the life of her, she could not work out what could cause such resurgence in ancient creatures like this.

"I'm glad we can agree on something Alexander" she patted his hand lightly before tidying the files once again, this time stacking them all onto the far side of the table. She had never touched his hands without gloves before, and the extreme warmth of his skin shocked her slightly.

"When did you stop calling me Anderson?" he asked as she busied herself with the rudimentary task. She didn't looked up at the question, seemingly deep in thought.

"I couldn't really say", her voice a little softer than before. When she wasn't giving a lecture or dispensing out orders, the camber of her words almost sounded quaintly feminine. "perhaps with age I have become less formal, I call Richard by his first name too" Anderson's lips curled to a sneer at the mention of the irritating dog she took everywhere she went.

Richard had been with her back in Italy when Alexander had seen her there. The guard had been stiff and affronting back then, a behaviour that had continued at all their other meetings over the past few years. From the looks of him, he couldn't have been that much older than she was. Anderson wondered if that was why she got on with the dog so well. Perhaps she enjoyed talking to someone her own age.

"You call the other one Vargas, is that a first name too?" he asked, trying not to sound too interested. She looked at him with some confusion, but continued.

"Hmmm? Oh him? No. Vargas is his second name. He's new. I'm not acquainted enough with him yet." Her tone was evasive, and secretly Anderson felt a rush of relief at her words. He enjoyed knowing he had earned the right of her familiarity, even if he did have to share it with that irritating Lieutenant. There was a lull in conversation as he looked at her, trying to find some meaning in those icy blue eyes of hers. She sniffed under his scrutiny and looked out the large windows, the city of Belfast stretching out before them.

"Your bedroom and washroom are on the left side of the suite" she said, clearly attempting to take his focus off her. She pointed to the hefty white door on the left wall of the reception. "You should have everything you need in there, but if you don't, let me know and I'll sort it for you" She waved at her own door. "I'll be through there if I'm not in here or at the bar. Please knock if you need me. I won't disturb you without cause, please extend me the same curtesy"

He watched as her fingers twitched and fidgeted on the tables surface, her teeth gnawing at the swelling flesh of her lower lip. He knew the signs well enough; she was going through nicotine withdrawals.

"You trying to give up smoking again?" he asked, attempting to acquiesce to a casual conversation

"Cutting down yes, as encouraged by my doctor" she didn't sound happy about it.

"I'm surprised you're listening to him, I always imagined you smoking up until your last breath. Hell, you even smoked after slicing your own throat open. What the devil got you to slow down now?" His tone was light with mirth, but he could see the stiff melancholy held in her shoulders. She turned to him, an unreadable look on her face, clearly uncertain if she should be having such a personal conversation with a known member of an opposing organisation. He had been having the same thoughts for a while now, but he was much better at hiding it than his current companion.

"I'll tell you. But it's a secret. You have to promise you won't go blabbing to your organisation" she smiled to herself, knowing perfectly well how silly her request would seem to him. He was a devout Catholic, and his loyalty to Iscariot was unwavering. He would never consent to hide something from them.

"Okay. I can keep a secret" he said flatly, to her utter astonishment. Her neck cracked from from turning to look at him so fast.

"What!?" she demanded.

"I said I'll keep your secret. Now spill. What made ye stop smoking?" He looked at her calm as ever, as though this were as normal a conversation as they could be having.

"But your loyalty! You tell everything to your organisation! You're catholic! You'll confess it!" she was clearly distressed at his apparent ease.

"Integra" he said calmly, hoping the use of her first name might placate her somewhat "If you hadn't noticed we're already keeping our _familiarity_ , with one another, secret from our respective organisations. Why would our conversations be any different? Especially if you ask me to keep them so. I may be a catholic, as you so succinctly pointed out, but I'm still a decent man. Despite what you might think." She didn't seem wholly convinced, so he leaned in closer, his voice becoming a whisper "And bedside's, only god hears my confessions. I'm exempt from the traditional confession on account of my job requiring a certain level of secrecy" He offered her a conspiratorial wink, and waited for her smile to slowly blossom once again.

She seemed to mull his offer over briefly, before nodding up at him. "Alright fine. But no, telling anyone" she took a breath, "I've quit smoking because its time I got a husband and had an heir. I can hardly produce a healthy heir if I'm addicted to nicotine can I? It's not the seventies anymore, women don't go around smoking whilst pregnant these days!" she gave out another rush of air, somewhat relieved to talk about it to someone who was not a doctor or an overly intrusive colleague. She looked over to Anderson, only to find that he'd turned white as a sheet and goggle-eyed. Clearly whatever answer he had been expecting, it hadn't been that.

"You're WwHAT!?" He yelled, flinching back from her like she might carry the plague. "Pregnant?" he sounded shrill and confused, an amusingly unusual emotion for the gigantic man to express.

"Oh, do stop being so dramatic Alexander!" she swatted at his arm ineffectually "I'm not pregnant yet!"

"YET!?"

"Yes yet! Were you even listening to the first bit? I'm not even married yet! I may not be catholic, but I can still do things in the proper order you know!" Integra was starting to feel defensive. Why was he so bothered anyways? He must have known this would happen eventually. She wasn't certain of his age, but he must have been old enough to have seen both comrades and enemies alike have children. Was he just shocked because he'd forgotten that she was a woman and would actually be the one pregnant?

"So, you've got the unfortunate man lined up then?". He genuinely sounded insulted by her explanation. "Poor bastard will have his work cut out for him". Integra actually felt that last comment hurt a little. She knew, deep down, that he couldn't ever treat her as a friend, but he had never been so crude about her before.

"Watch your fucking mouth Anderson, I'm not above shooting the damn thing off, even if you can grow it back!" she pushed herself up and stormed off towards her room, stopping halfway across, clearly having more to say. "And what's more, I don't have anyone _lined up_ , as you so nobly put. It's not even my fucking idea! If I had the choice I'd have chosen someone in my own time, or maybe no one at all. But seeing as the Hellsing organisation has no other living heirs left to lead her, no one else to keep Alucard and Seras under control and no one else to take my place at the round table, the burden must fall to me! It has to fall to my child! I am nearly thirty Alexander, I do not have the luxury of time, and I hardly have a stress free environment should there be complications!" She could feel herself getting truly angry now, tears threatened to make themselves known and stung behind her eyes. She desperately wanted to cry but that would only make her look weak.

Anderson actually felt bad in that moment. He had gone over the line, and stepped on a land mine. He tried his best to look shamefaced, a difficulty given both his grand size and bad history with apologies.

"I am sorry Integra; I should nay have said that. It was rude, forgive me" He looked down at his boots, his stomach twisting uncomfortably as the seconds ticked by. He heard her mumble something under her breath, and possibly even a suppressed sniff, before he got the guts to look at her in the eye again.

"Get some rest Paladin Anderson, I have an undercover mission planned for this evening, and I need you to be the back-up and heavy hitter if necessary." He swallowed the urge to argue the point that he was not one of her soldiers to be ordered about, considering the act personal penance for his earlier lack of tact.

"Hmm" he muttered, biting his tongue

"There is a mission plan in the pile next to you, feel free to dig it out and give it a read over. I'm going to take a bath. Don't bother me till lunch" And with that rather terse command, she glided back into the room she had emerged from, sadness and fatigue dripping from her body. Her door clicked shut and he couldn't hear a single footstep from behind the thick door. He wondered if she moved at all in the room.

"Nice going Alexander. Insult the lady who's crabby from stress and nicotine withdraws. Fucking grand idea tha'" He shook his head at himself, picking up his limited amount of luggage, coat and gloves, before shuffling into his own lavish rooms. He too, was keen on making use of the rather expensive bathroom facilities, and then a sorely needed nap. He collapsed onto the large bed, reckoning he might as well enjoy the luxury whilst it was given to him. When else would he get such a chance at this? Never, most likely. Before he knew it the man had fallen into a deep slumber, not even getting a chance to test out the lovely looking shower and bathtub.


	10. A Bite to Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras and Alucard prepare to hunt dow the boggarts and find evidence of the missing children, but organising a team is not so easy as Seras struggles for control with Alucard.

* * *

**Chapter 10 - A Bite To Drink**

* * *

Seras awoke torturously slow, the confides of her box tempting further sleep. It didn't help that the indulgent embrace she found herself in made her body slow to respond. Deciding that all wars are won with small battles, Seras settled for wiggling her toes and fingers, alongside a deep stretch, in the hopes that the movements may convince the rest of her body to take on a more upright position. Unfortunately, all this seemed to achieve was the mild disturbance of her sleeping companion and the exposure of her undergarments as the hem of the shirt rode up. She tried to wriggle more comfortably against him, finding a soft spot on his chest where she could place her head. Despite this. she felt something in the back of her mind told her she was forgetting something very important.

The thought solidified sharply, and she shot into full consciousness, her body jerking in realisation. She froze as Alucard groaned in his sleep, clearly unhappy with his restless fledgling beside him. She gently moved her arms to pull the shirt down, covering all the essentials. The last thing she needed was her master getting an eyeful and making her feel awkward. She would much rather focus her energy on fighting off real monsters than the ones floating around her desires.

Seras gently propped herself onto to her elbows and glanced down at the monster in question. On the rare when they had shared resting spaces, she had occasionally taken the opportunity to watch him sleep. She had counted his breaths and studied his face before. He was alarmingly peaceful, but she was unsure if he'd ever noticed her do it. She was certain he'd done the same thing to her. Neither one of them had ever mentioned it.

Despite the darkness, she could clearly see his face. His ever-present sneer still remained, but it seemed softer now. In his sleep, his mouth relaxed, his presence no longer dominating the room like it did when he was awake. If he were relaxed enough, his hair would become shorter and tousled, hanging in soft waves. There was something severely tempting in the way it shone.

"What would you look like under the light of the moon then?" she whispered; her hands eager to play with the strands. Seras often wondered if this was what he looked like back when he had first turned, or perhaps something similar to this. Despite the more relaxed presentation of her master, she couldn't fully believe this is what he looked like all those years ago. Somehow he just didn't seem kingly enough.

Forcing herself out of her private reverie, she pushed his hands away from where they sat around her waist, moving to clamber out of the box. Unfortunately, her attempts to be subtle were completely wasted as, by the time she had managed to get out the damn crate, Alucard had sat straight up, wearing a furious look on his face.

"If you could please offer to me a suitable explanation, Police girl, as to why you decided to disturb my rest, so early in the evening, I may just consider not breaking your arm". His eyes were narrow and hazy, holding all the good humour of a kicked dog.

Seras paused, caught in the headlights of Alucard's irritation. She tried to be apologetic, not wanting to actually deal with a yelling match first thing in the evening ."Apologies, I was trying to be as quiet as possible". She couldn't help the small eyeroll or the sneer that took over her face. She opted instead to turn her back on him and walk towards her clothing, hoping he might not notice. He did.

"Watch your tone!" He spat at her "I am your master; you will respect me!". She froze to the spot, something akin to frustration fuzzing at the back of her mind. For whatever reason, she really wasn't in the mood to listen to one of his egotistical rants.

"I do respect you" she answered, her own voice rising with a hint of anger, "I just don't fear you. There is a difference". She whirled back to face him, only to find that he was now snarling, the shadows of the room coiling about him.

"You are a fool!" He yelled, loud enough that the humans upstairs could probably hear. "Every time I offer you my blood you refuse it, yet you constantly defy me. You are an insolent and irritating fledgling. Never in all my accursed years have I ever made or seen one of your impudence Seras Victoria!" His disgust was clear, causing her previous irritation to bubble over into full blown fury.

"Oh well then I must congratulate you master, on creating such a unique specimen! A shame I do not make you proud, because we all know that's my deepest desire siiirrr" Seras couldn't have kept the arrogance and sarcasm out of her voice if she wanted to. She began slowly walking towards him. "I wonder why you even bother with me?". She began to gesticulate with her arms to emphasise her points, small uncontrolled tendrils flicking off her skin, a heartless laugh skimming her words. "And yes, as you so kindly like to remind me, it _was_ my choice to become what I am. But guess what!? It's also _my_ choice to refuse your blood! And don't ever forget that _you_ made the choice to change _me_. If you cannot live with the consequences of that decision, do not push your regrets onto me, I have long since stopped paying attention!" She was yelling loud enough that whole county could probably hear. Maybe it was loud enough to penetrate her masters' fat head.

Seras felt his shadows twist around her arm, threatening to make good on his promise to break it. They felt oddly warm despite the coldness of the room they came from. She tried not to look scared of the pain they would cause, but Alucard would undoubtably hear her heart speed up and smell the adrenaline flooding her system. He drew in, close enough for her to see the individual hairs framing his face.

"I thought you were not scared of me Police girl". His voice was a cruel taunt, cool against her cheek. An involuntary shiver ricocheted up her spine. She stepped closer, daring to challenge him.

"I am not scared of you! I merely worry about the mess you would make." She did her best to match his snarky tone, and felt his shadows loosen slightly as she edged closer. Something in his eyes told her he had expected her to crumble. Well not today. This wasn't the first time they had argued with one another, but Integra had technically forbidden them from fighting on missions. It had a way of slowing things down when Seras had to spend a few hours re-setting broken bones.

Stealing her nerves, Seras took a final step closer, her nose a hairs breadth away from his, her eyes locking onto their master's.

"I am not afraid of you." She whispered it this time, his shoulders relaxed at the soft tone. Tentatively, she settled her hand next to his own, gripping the box tightly. "I can certainly fear your power, and all the terrible things you have, and still can do. But I do not fear you. I respect you. When I refuse your blood, do not accuse me of a lack of respect. You know perfectly well why I cannot accept it." She found she could no longer quite meet his eyes and settled her gaze at the base of his neck, just above his unclothed chest.

His eyes hardened, fingers tightening their grip next to hers. He didn't make to move away, instead he suffocated her with his presence. "I know no such thing!" He resumed the yelling. "By all accounts you do not behave as a vampire should! I know nothing of your intentions Seras Victoria. You deny your nature, scorn every tradition, and rebuff all my attempts to educate you! "

Around him, Alucard could feel his shadows flickering in exasperation. His fledgling constantly defied understanding. Even when he looked into her mind, he had never found out why she refused the freedom he offered. He had sired a few others, before her, and never had he had such issues. All of them had done whatever he asked, all had longed to have the power he offered her. And yet she did not take it. He'd never known that fledglings could even disobey their masters in such a way. He sighed, relaxing the darkness of the room, it was too early to have this kind of argument with her.

He felt, more than saw, her slight shift against him. Her nose rubbed the side of his, and he fought the urge to return the involuntary gesture. He wondered just how she managed to disarm him so quickly, really it was quite alarming.

"What are you?", he whispered, the errant thought escaping his lips without permission. His shadows moving to brush against her, softening as they entangled with her golden hair. He could feel the smooth skin of her bare legs, smell her scent trapped within his shirt. She seemed too simple to be so puzzling. What consequences had his choice cost him?

"Master?". Her voice was delicate to his ears, anger giving way to confusion and apprehension. She itched under his umbral magic, but stayed close to him. She bent her neck forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder. Clearly knowing better than to wait for an answer she sighed deeply. "I'm hungry." She mumbled. "Let me grab us some breakfast".

She didn't wait for an answer before pulling away from him, walking over to the chair. Her eyes focusing on the distant corners of the room, avoiding his gaze. Alucard watched as she wrapped the shadows around herself, casting her surroundings in a darkened whirlwind. After the spell settled, she stood, fully dressed in her usual Hellsing uniform. His shirt was hanging off the back of the chair, where her uniform had once been. He wondered briefly what he would do with it.

Seras let out a relieved sigh, thankfully her uniform had dried. It was cold from the basement air and smelt faintly of open grassland and petrichor. She tried to shake off the shiver it caused and turned towards the stairs, keen to get to a warmer space. Ignoring the eyes she could feel on her back, she made her way up the stairs. Seras hoped Alucard wouldn't kill the rats she could hear scuttling in the walls. She hated it when he took his boredom out on defenceless creatures.

Just as she was about to push open the door, her foot knocked against something on the small landing, at the top of the stairs. From the loud clang it made against her boot, it was clearly large and metallic. Glaring, she saw a large silver bowl filled with blood packs and steaming hot water. Reaching down to pick it up she heard a sardonic snort from below her.

"Get lost without me, Police girl?".

She rolled her eyes, but didn't bother to suppress the small smirk on her face. At least he wasn't brooding after their fight. That was a relief. "No master, it seems the team brought us our breakfast this morning." She shifted the bowl in her hands, the heat coming off it singed her slightly. She had always preferred her blood bags warm, and the team had seen her heat them up enough times to know that, but the bowl they chose was less than ideal for insulating her vampiric skin to the scalding heat. Thankful for her gloves, she turned to march back down the stairs.

She managed to make her way back down without spilling too much hot water on herself, but the process was painfully slow and Alucard had been suspiciously silent the entire time. She tried not to blush as she looked over to the box. Alucard lounged casually against the side. At some point he had fully dressed himself, only his hat, coat and glasses were missing. Despite herself, Seras was relieved that he hadn't taken their argument too seriously. Sometimes after fights like this he would clam up and hide underneath his full outerwear, brooding in the shadows. At the moment he seemed peculiarly chipper. She paused as she walked towards him. He was up to something. She was almost certain of it.

"So, what have you brought your master this beautiful evening, Police Girl?" His tone was a charming drawl, buttery smooth and suspiciously self-assured.

"We have a lovely selection of A positive, or some type O. What do you fancy?". She ignored his tone, responding with her own more chipper one. She reasoned he was just looking forward to eating. She couldn't deny her own glee at the prospect of food. Her stomach growled in anticipation. The sound caught his attention and he shot her a mischievous smirk. The look awoke certain feelings she couldn't quite bring herself to name. Her stomach growled loudly again, and she felt a small tingle start at the base of her spine, travelling to her fingertips.

"Well, seeing as my little fledgling seems so hungry this evening," he said, slowly walking towards her, "I'll be kind and take the A positive. We wouldn't want you going hungry now would we?". Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed the A positive blood bags and sank his fangs into one, the hot blood pouring down his throat. He did so love that Seras warmed them up before they ate, Walter was never so kind. He supposed the Hellsing retainer might be worried that if the blood was too close to real body temperature the vampires might get tempted to snack on one of the guards.

He watched as Seras set the bowl down and bit into her own dinner, eyes filling with pleasure as she drank deeply from the flimsy bag. Holding back an animalistic growl he saw her brilliant white fangs become coated in rich burgundy. These small displays of her nature teased at her untapped potential. It reminded him how long it had been since she had been in battle, fangs tearing into her enemies, claws stripping flesh from bone. He longed to see her become a true nosferatu, to see her unlock the power hidden within her. Once she consumed the blood of a living human, along with his own, there would be no creature on this planet who could contest her. He would finally have an equal in this arduous existence, he would finally know some comfort. Her denial to accept it only made him long to see it all the more. Her large round eyes shone up at him and he fought the urge to lean into her, instead he bit into his second bag.

Seras finished her breakfast, keen to avoid the piercing stare of her master as she drank. She always got nervous when he did this at their feeding times. Perhaps he was just lost in thought, or checking to make sure she wasn't skipping meals again. She had thought they moved past that years ago, but occasionally she'd catch him staring at her, and he always made some offhand comment about her vampiric potential or something. If she was honest, she was far fonder of the casual flirtation he had recently started, but for now, Seras was content to enjoy the companionable silence they had fostered. Something in the back of her mind told her this evening would be draining, in more ways than one.

By the time the meal was over a weighty tension had overtaken the entire room. Alucard had barely said a word to her, trapped in some internal contemplation, and Seras was far from keen to disturb him. Throwing the empty bags back into the bowl, she grabbed her weapons from where they sat next to the sleeping container. Technically she should have learnt to store them in a pocket dimension like her master had, but so far she had only managed to do it for short periods of time. Anything she put away was always spat back into the physical world after about an hour or two, whether she wanted them or not. She had decided that whilst she slept, she'd put her guns as close to her as possible and hope nothing too fast or smart would attack her in the meantime.

"Remind me to teach you portal control after this over police girl, watching you keep your weapons like a human is shameful" Alucard sounded bored as he watched her movements.

"Yes master" she said, dutiful but hollow enthusiasm in her voice. Strapping the shotgun to her back, Seras checked that she was carrying as many rounds as possible. Tonight, they would make a move to track the boggarts to their den and exterminate them all. She didn't want to be under armed if the little bastards put up a fight.

"I'm gonna talk to the team upstairs, get the updates on how the mission progressed in the day. Meet outside in 10?" She fidgeted with her belt and focused her gaze on the lone chair of the room. The shirt she had worn to bed was still hanging there. She looked over at him, but he was completely clothed, shirt and all. He must have summoned himself a new one. She briefly wondered if he could summon an infinite number of shirts, or if there was an actual limit to the amount of clothing he could produce. She found a dozen questions bubbling on her tongue about how exactly he managed to get his summoned clothing to remain when she could not, or how he managed to make them so soft to sleep in. She swallowed the questions. She could ask them all later.

"Don't take too long talking to the humans police girl, I'm looking forward to the hunt tonight." He looked at her, bloodthirsty desire burning all around him. "No time for race tonight though, my sweet, I'll phase us both down to the village to save time. I'll meet you outside, but don't keep me waiting"

Before she had the chance to protest his sudden desire to teleport her everywhere, he melted into the darkness, no doubt waiting outside for her already.

"Bastard will be counting the seconds if I know him at all" she muttered, pouncing up the stairs. Hopefully her soldiers wouldn't take up too much of her time, she really didn't have the time to juggle an entire troop, a serial homicide case and her irksome master all in one night.

Opening the basement door, light flooded her vision. Her eyes strained against the harsh orange glow of the main room. Blinking furiously, Seras saw that her usual second in command Lieutenant Rodgers was absent. He must have led the daylight team's investigation, and gone to sleep for the night shift. Looking around she tried to work out which of her team was left at base camp. Sargent Coleman was the oldest and highest ranking amongst them, and was accompanied by a Corporal and a handful of Privates.

Seras had always guessed Coleman to be a middle-aged man, but the flecks of silver appearing in his hair had made her question his exact age. He was currently occupied talking to Corporal Stewart by the dining table. Stewart was a charming young man with a chiselled jaw and a devilish smile. He was the illegitimate son of some noble and he'd given a role in Hellsing, both to pacify his more degenerate womanising habits as well as putting his more useful military training to good use. He was quick with an inappropriate joke, and a charming smile, but his abilities in battle had always made up for his more tedious moments.

Over in what could vaguely be considered as the living room, sat the three Privates, alternating between cleaning weapons and playing some kind of card game she didn't recognise. After a fleeting moment they noticed that she had ascended from the basement and stood to attention to greet her. The youngest private, Private Blake, was last to his feet and seemed a little flustered by her silent appearance.

"At ease" Seras said calmly with an airy wave of the hand. She enjoyed being amongst her men, it put her at ease and gave her a feeling of being part of something useful. She turned to Coleman, walking over to the dining table. It was covered in casefiles she'd partially read, and maps with scribbles she couldn't interpret. "Report" she said sharply.

"We're the night team for you on this mission ma'am," Coleman responded, "Rodgers was keen to head up the daylight team in your absence, So I'll be acting as your basecamp liaison for this evening." His tone was all respect and Seras nodded politely. Whilst she had a closer sense of comradery with Rodgers, Coleman was a good man and undeniably a good leader. One day he would make a good Captain of his own division.

"That's fine by me Sargent", she replied, scanning the paper before her.

"Yes, ma'am. The mission hasn't made too much progress in your absence, unfortunately. From what we've found all the kidnap victims were dragged into the moors, and we've managed to narrow down a likely cross over area for all the crime scenes". He stepped forward and pulled out a map of the village and surrounding moorland. "From what you said, the children couldn't have been moved far by the creatures, but some of the trails we found lead on for a couple of miles to the west of the village." He gestured to a few bright red lines, all arching off from different residential areas of the village.

"It is possible they could have had help", she conceded looking at how far the trails had gone. "Are you absolutely certain that this is where they all go?", she pointed to a small red circle that encompassed the end of the trails.

"Yes sir, every single one of them. All the trails die out here,. We scoured the focus point all day but all we could find was more of those stones you found, some ruins and animal burrows". He frowned slightly, "To be honest ma'am, we're not sure where to go from here. The troops here are combat trained, most of them have no investigative experience. I'm sorry we'll be relying on you for this." He scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand, clearly uncomfortable with the lack of progress.

"That's all right Sarg, you've narrowed the search area down, that'll save us some time." She scanned over the map, and flicked through some of the reports. "Anything else the daylight team discovered?"

Corporal Stewart spoke up then. "Yes mum, we sent out scouting teams to secure the perimeter, they found some old lakes and some abandoned caves just north of the village, but nothing related to the evidence you found, no combatants either."

"Unless you count the bastard rats who went for Rodgers" muttered Coleman, a lilt of laughter in his voice. "either way ma'am, the caves weren't explored for evidence. Didn't seem relevant".

Ignoring the older man's amusement, Seras tried to pull some of her thoughts together. Tonight, was the night they planned to exterminate the little bastards, having some back-up might be a good idea.

"Sargent Coleman, I want you and the night team to make for those caves, see if there's a tunnel system you can take from there. Nothing should be left uncovered. Those burrows at the focus point might lead somewhere, so Alucard and I will take those. Equip everyone with ammunition and first aid kits, I want minimal injuries on this mission." She pushed back from the table and looked over her troops. They weren't her first choices for getting her out of a pinch, but all were serviceable enough.

"Unless there are any questions, I'll move out to the ruins and you lot can get to those caves. I want you there ASAP."

"Yes Ma'am!", the room parroted back to her. The usual bustle of assembling weapons and combat bags began, fortunately their training made them fast. The only real thing that would slow them down would be that they had to use the trucks for transport. Where she and Alucard had their umbral magic to get around with, her men were stuck with more pedestrian measures. Halfway to the door, she was stopped by one of the younger privates, Blake, clearly a he had something he wanted to say to her.

"Why was big red with you last night mum? I didn't think he was supposed to join us till tonight?". He couldn't have been that much younger than Seras, at about twenty five, but he had taken to using the nickname 'mum' when addressing her, despite her protests. Unfortunately, after hearing her dislike for the name, most of the Hellsing soldiers had taken to using it. Only the old boys like Coleman and Rodgers refrained from the tradition, a point she was thankful for. They all, however, preferred the code name 'Big Red' when addressing Alucard, normally because he had an awful habit of turning up if you mentioned his name too many times. He said he did it to scare people, but Seras secretly thought he was just a nosy busybody who wanted to know what people were saying about him all the time.

"Was there something wrong mum?", Corporal Stewart spoke next, a little apprehension lacing is face. He was, however, a little too handsome to look completely forlorn, and it rather ruined the effect. Seras knew that his concern for others was rarely an entirely selfless endeavour.

She shook her head in amusement. "He turned up early because his mission down in London was over earlier than expected and he didn't want to be bored." She offered her men an exaggerated eyeroll, a gesture that noticeably relaxed them, even the more experienced members of the team. Clearly his unscheduled arrival had set them on edge. "Don't worry about him troubling you lot anyways. He rarely bothers with you guys when he's got me to torment", she joked, her laugh coming out dryer than she had intended.

"Actually mum, it _was_ you we were worried about". She looked up at that, a confused frown on her face. The remark had come from Private Blake again and he wore an expression of startlingly genuine concern. He continued; "When you came in last night all clinging to him looking like you'd been dragged through a hedge; he was looking at you so strange... even Stewart said it looked like he was gonna either throw you across the room or eat you whole." Stewart, for the sake of his dignity gave a haughty snort.

"I said no such thing", he spat back, his defensive tone indicating otherwise. "I just said he had a vicious look in his eyes, don't embellish my words Blake!". Coleman, who still stood beside the man, gave him a speculative side-eye, but said nothing.

The younger private gave a mocking look to his comrade before continuing. "Either way Mum, we know how Big Red can be sometimes, and we were just worried he might have tried to start something. We heard the pair of you yelling downstairs, just now. We know you guys argue a lot, and he gets in your face. Sometimes I think he does it just to-". Private Blake was cut off from his hypothesis by a well-timed and vicious smack to the back of the head. His hands went up to protect himself from the following and similarly aimed attacks, dispensed by the young woman stood next to him, Isabelle Hicks.

"Shut your bloody mouth you prat!". Her voice was a whisper to the room, but Seras could hear the woman clear as day. Hicks had been around for a while, and was the only other female member of the squad. Seras was always impressed with her discretion, and clearly the woman was attempting to instil it amongst the ranks. Unfortunately, Blake didn't appear to be in the learning mood this evening.

"Ow!". He rubbed fruitlessly to ease the pain of the well timed smack and continued talking. "I'm just sayin', we all know how he looks at mum! And how he talks to her! Lord knows how he treats her in priva-". Hicks hit him again, harder this time. He yelped in pain and swatted her back. The pair looked and acted very much like feuding siblings.

"Stop being idiots over there!", Coleman bellowed, the strain in his voice indicated that this was not the first bickering session of the evening, but that made it no less embarrassing to have it witnessed by his vampiric commander. "How many bloody times? You are Hellsing soldiers, now ruddy act like it!". He shot an apologetic look at Seras, before turning back to his work and Corporal Stewart. The Privates offered her similar looks of apologies before returning to their weapons and a hushed conversation. Fortunately for Seras it wasn't so quiet that she couldn't hear every word of it.

Pretending to check something on her phone, she tried to look uninterested in her surroundings as she eavesdropped on the conversations of her team.

"Why would you go and say that you spiv?". Hicks voice was clear and held boundless irritation. She accompanied it with another harsh thwack, this one to the poor man's arm

There was a rustle of uniform as he attempted to rub the pain away. "I don't see what wrong with showing concern.", he said, "Big red is clearly deranged. Have you seen his face when we're out on missions? He's never happier than when he's killing things."

"So?". That was the deeper voice of Private Thompson. "Doesn't mean you go around saying you're worried for mum to her face. Even if that big red bastard does get any ideas about going for her she can take care of herself you know. She's been doing it for longer than you've even been here". His confidence in her abilities gave Seras a reason to smile, even if she did hide it behind a gloved hand.

"That doesn't mean I don't care when I see her getting stalked and stared down by that monster. Despite what the older generals say about those two, it doesn't sit right with me" . Blake was indignant in his anxiety. "They look like they could kill each other sometimes"

"To be fair mate, it's none of our business. They're not human, its different rules for them two". Thompson's tone held a curious silver of mirth. "The big boss hasn't put a stop to it, so I suppose it's sanctioned. Best just to not get in the middle of it".

"Plus", added Hicks, her voice almost sounding comforting, "I don't think either one of them can really die, or care about the physical pain of their fights. I think the old boys are right, they do it for fun".

"Yeah it's their vampy foreplay." That last comment from Thompson made Seras' heart thump a little loud for her liking. Behind her, Thompson let out a brief amused reem of laughter before, he too, received a swift smack to the back of the head from Hicks.

"Shut it, she might hear you!". There was a brief murmur of an apology before they sank back into a militant silence.

Horrified at what she had heard, Sera sucked in a sharp breath and made for the front door, knowing she'd have kept her master waiting longer than she should have. He was going to be insufferable tonight. And to think that his flirting with her had been noticed by her team! Even the older generals! She was mortified.

As she pushed open the door she saw Alucard standing in the centre of the road, perfectly back-lit by the lone streetlamp. She scowled at him, already irritated by his constant flair for the dramatic. He smiled at her; she was unsure if he had heard the conversation from inside. She didn't ask. She didn't want to know.

"You're 3 minuets late police girl". His smile grew mischievous as she walked closer, stopping a couple feet away from him. "Tardiness is not a trait I taught you, do better".

She offered no reply other than a singular eyebrow raise. Offering a hand to him, she asked, "Are we going or what?". Taking her extended hand gently, his thumbs slowly caressed the knuckles of her gloves. Suddenly, he yanked her arm hard enough to cause a little pain, and caught her in a suffocating grip.

"Be polite my little fledgling", he growled harshly in her ear. "Your little soldiers are watching, and I would hate to embarrass you Infront of them". His tone took on a slight huskiness as she turned to look back at the cottage window. Private Blake was stood watching them, face drawn and gaunt. Beside him, Hicks was doing a poor job of watching without seeming like she was actually looking at them. Seras struggled briefly, only to relax into the painful hold.

"Yes master, Sorry master." She said, switching to look out onto the darkened countryside, keen to avoid eye contact with anyone. Alucard loosened his grip as the shadows surrounded them, and his manic laughter filled the night air. Just as quickly as the smoke had gathered, it disappeared, leaving no sign that to two vampires had ever stood in the road to begin with. The only signs of life were the faint sounds of bickering heard emanating from inside the warmly lit cottage on the road.


	11. The Ruins At Night.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alucard and Seras set out to investigate the moors that border the village of Pickerington, but a strange monument awaits them and Seras might no be prepared to face what dwells there.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – The ruins at night.**

* * *

The vampires appeared from the fog of the moors, their presence a noticed blemish on the unspoilt landscape. Alucard had made their journey purposefully painful and nauseating. His fledgling, in turn, had adamantly refused to cling to him for stability, resulting in her getting jostled around far more than she would have ideally liked. She looked up at her tormenter, only to find the bastard smiling down at her.

"Very funny master.", she spat at him, hunching over to rest her hands on her knees. Seras hoped she wouldn't vomit so early in the evening, particularly after having such a pleasant breakfast. It would have been a waste of good blood if nothing else. Her master, noticing her condition, backed a few steps away from her, a disgusted sneer on his features.

"Do not vomit on my shoes, Police girl. I'd hate to get them dirty so early in the evening". To her credit, Seras had prepared a rather snarky retort for such situations, but her current condition prevented her from doing much more than taking shallow, even breaths. She attempted to stand upright, but the motion proved too hasty, filling her vision with black spots and making her knees become unsteady.

"Eurgh" was all that came out of her mouth before she promptly had to shut it to suppress the rising bile in her throat.

Alucard, who had been rather enjoying his fledglings discomfort, began to think he may have flung her around a little too much on their journey. It would be quite the inconvenience if she were ill for the entire mission. There was also the added complication that she would take ages to forgive him if she were actually sick. These little games of theirs were only fun so long as she was in the mood to participate, and Seras was always slow to overcome nausea.

"Sit down Police Girl, and put your head between your knees". He was more than a few steps away from comforting, but she did as he asked, although not without sending him a few scalding glares and muttered obscenities. He chose to ignore them. She had perched herself on a small rock, her uniform contrasting strongly against the washed out landscape and fog. "You are entirely too delicate". He said, "You are a vampire, for pities sake, you should be able to overcome such trifling issues by now". She gave him a peculiar look, and he frowned, unsure what she could have been confused by.

"Master", she said, curiosity seeping into her words . "Does that mean all vampires experience nausea, or is this just a me thing?". She blinked up at him, her eyes full of innocent curiosity.

He shrugged, "All vampires, in the early years, experience it to some degree". Crouching down in front of her, he tried to meet her eyes with some level of friendliness. "Eventually you'll grow to control it. It is no more difficult than managing pain or repairing your body. Weaker blood lines have dampened abilities compared to the higher vampire clans, but it takes practice and control regardless of lineage. Even a mongrel dog can learn simple tricks"

"Weakened blood lines?", she asked, feeling a little dumb. The only vampires she'd really ever come across were the chipped freaks, but they weren't real. There had been the occasional vampire that they had come across on missions, but they were enemies and vampire politics hadn't really come up in conversation. She had no idea that there were really such things as bloodlines and clans, although it made sense given the folklore surrounding vampires.

"Yes, my little one. Weaker bloodlines are lesser vampires. They are the ill-feted progeny of higher vampires. They retain some of their creators gifts, but often at a far reduced capacity. As a result, they can only create other lesser vampires and are the most common kind of Nightstalker. These are the midians we often exterminate for our master. They lack control and endanger more than mere humans with their antics". He sneered at the thought of them, but stopped when he noticed Seras' concerned expression. "You needn't worry about this Seras. You are of my blood, and I am very powerful indeed. Even if you are slow to learn, you are undeniably of royal blood. Only higher vampires have the control to deny themselves blood as you used to". He frowned sternly at her. "But that does not mean I condone your old behaviour. It makes you useless as a fighter and is completely unnecessary. It is a skill to survive starvation, not to invite it". His tone was harsh, but he had to make sure she wouldn't take the excuse to starve herself again. It had been such an arduous journey to get her to feed, he didn't want to undo all that hard work now.

She seemed to chew on the words, digesting them slowly. Her nausea forgotten in the exploration of new information.

"So, when did you get over your nausea?", she asked, hungry for more insight on her master. Alucard was quiet for a while as he scanned through his mind, not having solidified that particular memory.

"I can't recall the precise date, but I suppose I had learnt to control it around my seventieth year as a vampire." He scratched his chin trying to recall what he'd almost forgotten. "Yes, I was celebrating my one hundred and twentieth birthday, and I thought I'd give human food a try again". He smiled, a distant look in his eyes. "For all that time I had never managed to keep down anything more than the smallest bite of food". His smile gave way to a deep, rich chuckle. The sound was absorbed into the blanket of fog surrounding them, and it made Seras' spine tingle most peculiarly. He continued, oblivious to the effect he had on his fledgling. "On that birthday I had employed the best chef in all of Wallachia to cook me an entire feast. There was seared duck, braised stakes, and an entire edible centrepiece." She imagined the taste and smell of the foods he described, knowing that in her previous life she would have fawned over such a feast. He laughed slightly, caught up in the old memory. "I had invited all my court and even some of my human comrades to mark the occasion. We made a competion out of who could eat the most. I managed a whole plateful of meat and potatoes, more than any other vampire there could manage. It tasted like ash, but I didn't experience anything other than a mild stomach-ache the next day." His laugh continued, but the edges rang bittersweet at the memory.

Seras smiled, letting out a small chuckle of her own, a noise that captured his attention, and he raised an eyebrow at her, clearly wanting an explanation.

"It's just," she said, "it is hard to imagine you doing something so mundane as eating for fun". She offered him a warm smile. "What about the humans you invited? I assume they made the most of the feast?"

Alucard gave a wide smile, his sharp canines poking out from between his teeth. "They ate so much they were either sick or could barely move. Despite what some of my court wanted, the human did eventually manage to leave the castle alive", he snorted in amusement, "My brother was furious for being denied the fresh human blood, nearly started a civil war over it. But those humans were some of the best generals we had, some were even being considered for turning." .

She wanted to ask more about his past, he rarely opened up about it, but she knew he would clam up if she pressed the issue too much. Frowning instead she honed in on what he said. "Wait, you said you were over one hundred when this all happened; seventy years a vampire.". She smirked at his confused expression. "Master, I am not even thirty years old by human standards yet! Of course I have not gotten over my nausea yet". She couldn't help but laugh at his shocked expression, he looked as though she'd sprouted a second head in the image of Jesus himself.

"No, you're not". He retorted, evidently confused, "you've been around for ages. I know you have! You're young, but surely not that young". He genuinely looked upset by her mirth, making her laughter even harder to control.

"I'm twenty seven master, I'm younger than Integra. Honestly, stop messing with me, you must know I've only been with Hellsing for 9 years. I can't be so annoying that nine years feels like a millennia to you?". She looked up at him expectantly, but his face remained set in confused consideration. Perhaps he genuinely had forgotten how young she was, although she couldn't think exactly how he'd managed to do that.

"Forgive me Seras, I am old, and the years begin to blend together. It was foolish of me to think you have been by my side for all this time. I must have grown used to having you as a part of my memories." He frowned, looking away from her face and focusing on the enclosing mist. His shoulders stiffened slightly, but his face was an impassive mask. "Don't worry, I shan't do it again".

He stood then, his face abruptly obscured by the angle and his excessive outerwear. "We must be going. You should have recovered well enough by now; we do not have time to dawdle with this idle chit-chat."

"Oh, sure". Seras stumbled over to her masters side, thankful he was walking slower than normal. From the looks of it he had teleported them just outside of the ruins, and she could see small clusters of stones dotted amongst the grassland. Just as her men described, there were a few signs of a disturbance, but there was very little to indicate fresh movement in the area. It looked completely untouched. The ruins seemed to be a small collection of buildings, that looked like they had made up a larger complex. There was even a small well, right in the centre. It reminded her of the small idealised towns she had seen in spaghetti westerns when she was a child.

They walked the short distance in silence, her mind briefly occupied with memories of her childhood, rather than the task at hand. She heard a rustling amongst the foliage as they walked breaking her train of thought. Looking down, she shivered in disgust as a pair of large rats scuttled past her. They filthy pair scuttled into a large burrow; the black opening sat just underneath a more complete wall. Made from large, heavy looking cobblestones, it's mottled surface had gently scarred by years of rain and wind, and the burrow hardly seemed to interfere with the foundations. Seras briefly wondered how many more rats lingered beneath her feet. Th question was answered by the sounds of endless scuttling feet, and too many quickened heart beats to keep track of.

"Urgh, even these ruins are infested with rats". She said to herself. "What's wrong with this damned village? They've been everywhere." She tried to ignore the sounds of chattering teeth as they walked past the hole, sometimes her vampiric hearing made it sound like there were thousands of creatures swarming her at all times.

Alucard also seemed unsettled as he turned to her, voice cautious and even. "Something's not right here", he answered her cryptically, his head tilted as though he could sense the unease in the air. She nodded, and slowed her pace, keeping her wits about her. They came to the edge of a more complete building, only the roof, and what would have originally been the doors and windows were missing. From what she could tell, it might once have been a large shed, or barn, but it had clearly gone unused for a long time.

Alucard moved to the right of the building, his shadows curling around every surface, searching for some unknown target. Instinctively, Seras moved to the left, her back pressed against the walls. Her shadows flicked around her protectively as she ducked under a frameless window, their soft caress easing her nerves slightly. She emerged on the other side, none the wiser as to what had put Alucard on edge, nor why they were both creeping around the seemingly abandoned space. He reached the edge of the barn and slowly crept forwards into clear square of grass. Seras held her position by the barn, taking stock of their surroundings, eyes attentive to her master's movements.

The mist surrounding them had gotten thicker. It left droplets of water on her skin, collecting into larger beads that rolled down her spine and arms . It was impossible to see outside of the ruins now and the wind had all but stopped. She turned to inspect the wall beside her. Despite the missing roof and doors, the stones seemed eerily well preserved, for the weather conditions. The grass was tall, but very little vegetation had invaded the buildings themselves. Surely there should have been at least some weeds growing through the cracks.

"What is this place?", she asked quietly, her gloved fingers gently brushing against the rough surface of the wall beside her.

"I'm not sure what you would call them today, the language that described them died out long ago." Alucard said, answering the question she hadn't expected to be answered. "These ruins are old and magical. Far older, even, than me. The closest word your language has to describe them may be temples, or spirit houses, but even these are not correct. I'd say these used to be the homes of very powerful creatures. Local people used to worship the creatures tied to places like this, but it appears that whatever was here died out long ago.". Alucard's face was stony as he looked over the area, his sneer holding genuine contempt and agitation.

"They are that old? That's not even possible is it?" Seras looked at the untouched landscape around her. "There would be archaeologists all over this area, humans love old historical sites. Not to mention these walls are too well preserved to be that old!"

"These are no ordinary buildings, Police girl. The power of the deities associated with this place protected it from the humans and from the ravages of time, even after they perished. Be cautious, many creatures use places like this to feed, or as an anchor point. Such beings are rarely friendly to strangers". His eyes were narrowed and Seras could sense his hackles were raised. His shadows writhed around him, his limbs dissolving into the darkness, giving him the appearance that he was floating slightly. Clearly he was uncomfortable with his surroundings, but she couldn't quite understand what was wrong with the place

Stretching out her third eye she tried to follow the magical energy she could feel flowing around her, but the sheer amount of it quickly dazed her. She saw a rainbow of magical auras swimming through the air. It was impossible to see anything through the dizzying array of colours. Even though her naked eye could see Alucard just fine, her third eye was so blinded that it could only just find his aura amongst the noise that surrounded him. Even then, she was heavily relying on their shared bond to find him. Rubbing her eyes, she returned to herself, giving up on trying to find any new energy signs.

She was about to ask him what they were going to do next, when a chill went down her spine and she felt something brush against the back of her leg. She turned sharply but found nothing other than the tall grass she had been standing in

"Damned rats", she muttered, itching at the spot where it had touched her. Not wanting to put her foot in a burrow hole, she pulled out her pistol, and made to walk towards her master.

"Don't move police girl. Do not move an inch." He sniffed at the air, glaring down at her feet. His gun was out, and it was pointing in her direction.

"Master! That gun could kill me! Watch where you point that thing!". She twitched slightly but didn't move away, afraid to rise his ire. Another rodent scuttled in the grass ahead of her. It was bigger and rounder than any she'd seen before, and despite its distance, she could smell its odour of decay. It stopped dead in its tracks, and stared at her with beady yellow eyes, they almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the fog-covered moon.

Suddenly there was a gunshot and the putrid creature exploded into tiny fragments of viscera. Seras let out a surprised yelp and stared at the spot where the rat had once sat. Vile black sludge coated the grass, and the smell of rotting wafted through the air. She looked up at Alucard, mouth agape in confusion.

"That was no rat", he muttered in disgust. "That was a boggart, Seras. I think every rat we've seen since the moment we arrived here has been one. Odious little cretins". He turned away from her and pointed his gun at a seemingly empty space in the fog ahead of him. With his back was turned to her, his large frame blocked her view. "They aren't alone, something's coming".

The grass rustled around her; another rat emerged from beneath her feet. She squeaked and jerkily pointed her gun at the ground, furiously reaching her shadows around to find the scuttling creature.

Her alarm caused Alucard to turn back, his encroaching foe momentarily forgotten. He felt the urge to pull her over to him, but he knew she could handle herself in battle. Anyways, if he backed down now, he would just draw more danger toward his fledgling. He could see that her hands were shaking, but she had dutifully kept her feet glued to the spot. He was relieved that she was at least listening to his orders.

They both felt the strange chill of the wind curl around them, and he locked eyes with his fledgling. He just managed to get out the word "fight" before something large and heavy emerged from the thick barrier of fog and crashed into his side. The blow landed hard enough to knock him out of the ruins main centre, and into the wildland of the moors. The fog swallowed up his view of Seras and they were each alone to face their enemies. He stood and came face to face with a large hulking mass of muscle and sinew. The monster was a poor imitation of life, its unnaturally purple eyes glowing from malformed flesh. It looked like it was running on pure hatred and dark magic. It was a golem, and an ugly one at that.

It pounced at him, running on all fours in a full sprint, Alucard attempted to melt into the shadows, but he felt something blocking his powers. Before he could dodge the attack the damned creature had locked its maw around his shoulder and began the painful process of tearing his arm from his body.

"So, your master is using the fog to suppress my magic?", he asked the creature, wicked curiosity coating his features. He let out a maniacal laugh as the beast tore the sinew from his bones. "Yes! How interesting, finally, a real fight, I was wondering when they would send in someone like you". He grinned widely, as the golem finally managed to rip his arm away from him, taking his gun with it. It threw away his limb, choking on the blood that had poured down its throat. Alucard smiled knowing he had caused the creature to suffer. Clearly it didn't feast on blood as he did.

He used his limited vestiges of magic to close his wound, but didn't bother to re-grow the appendage. No point in wasting time with such trivial matters as an arm. The monster lurched forward, single minded in its pursuit of him. This time he was ready and easily dodged the attack, feigning to the left before wrapping his remaining arm around the beasts neck. He sank his teeth into its hide, and put pressure on the windpipe. To his surprise no blood came from the wound, but instead saltwater flooded his mouth. The beast continued to careen around in circles, before it gave a croaky growl and threw its body to the ground, crushing the vampire beneath it. Alucard was forced to loosen his hold on the beast, struggling to push himself free. His gun, and severed limb, lay a few feet above him. If he could just reach it he could easily shoot it in its head and be done with this.

Behind him he was distantly ware of his fledglings scream, penetrating through the thick layer of fog, and he felt his chest tighten

The monstrosity above him growled, and pulled itself up, seemingly gaining strength from his fledglings pain. It spun, one heavy paw smacking the ground by his head, but it was slow and noisy, easy to dodge and even easier to anticipate its moves. Alucard growled, and slashed his claws deep into its neck and wrapped his fingers around the tendons inside. The saltwater burned his flesh, but the creature was in more pain. Throwing the viscera aside, he moved to his gun, picking it up with the fluid grace of a dancer. Before the golem could react to the change in circumstances, Alucard fired all his rounds into its chest. The bullets ripped through its body, leaving wide holes in their wake. The saltwater gave way to a thick black mucus, and he watched as the carcass began to melt, its eyes becoming molten in their sockets. It's movements became strained as it fought to remain upright, and he watched as it faltered and fell, melting into the soil.

A scream from Seras made his head whip around. He'd left her alone far too long. He set off at a sprint, following the sound of her voice through the dense fog. Finally, he found himself back at the ruins only to see his fledgling standing in the main square of the ruins shooting and screeching at an amorphous creature.

Seras screamed again as it lurched towards her. The monster was a foul-smelling amalgamation of hundreds of rats, each one melting into the next. Their faces would float to the top, hatred and fear marring their eyes. Something was controlling them, morphing them into a monstrosity. They were in pain; she could hear them screaming in her mind. An offshoot reached out towards her, and she shot at it, but she could only feel pity as it flailed about in front of her.

She was scared. She couldn't fight this alone; she barely even knew what the damned thing was. A loud crash made her look up, only to see Alucard standing in the fog, one arm nothing but a coiling mess of shadows, his anger mottling his face.

"Master!" She yelled out, firing another shot at the creature. She wanted to end its misery, but it seemed to be invincible. Alucard was at her side in an instant, his shadows spearing at the dammed creature. She knew she was crying, but she didn't care. She heard the sound of rustling behind her, and turned to see more rats, no, more boggarts rushing towards the creature. Each one senselessly added its body to the mass, losing themselves to the collective pain of their brethren.

She holstered her pistol, moving to pull the shotgun from her back. She aimed the barrel inches from the centre of the creature and pumped three shells into its core. She thought it might have killed the horrific beast, but the rats appeared faster than she could kill them, and their screams only grew worse. The rats split into three new piles, each one growing into its own monstrosity.

"My god, they won't stop screaming". Tears stained her face, her head pounding from the desperate cries in her mind. She couldn't block out the noise, the voices of the boggarts begging for death. Alucard grabbed her upper arm and pulled her close to his chest. She felt his shadows wrapping around her, and blocking out the sounds of pain. But something wrapped around her ankle and pulled her away from him, impossibly strong. Alucard had to release her to prevent her ripping in half at the waist. Looking down she saw it was one of the groups of rats, a floundering limb pulling her towards it.

She was dragged across the ground, stones in the soil slicing into her back and her arms. Sharp claws piercing the tender skin at the back of her legs. She screamed at the searing pain and sharply kicked the creature away. Up until now she had been able to keep the singular monster away from her, but as the second and third pulled her away from her master, she couldn't help but feel utterly powerless. She looked towards Alucard, only to find him dealing with three of his own monstrosities.

"Let me go!", she screamed, kicking uselessly at the masses that held her down. Singular bodies of rats fell with each hit she made. More rats burst from the burrows around her, the sheer number of them knocking her from side to side. One of the monsters lunged at her, wrapping itself further around one of her legs. She tried to kick at it, but it stuck to her like tar, slowly pulsating its way up to her waist. It pinned her down, and forced her to desperately claw at the creature to stop it consuming her completely.

"Seras!" she vaguely heard Alucard calling her name, but her lower body had become completely swarmed with the half melted rodents, their teeth sinking into the soft flesh of her thighs. She could feel them feasting on her blood, draining her strength and stamina.

She flipped over, attempting to crawl away. Her chin scraped across the sharp ground, and in her peripheral she saw Alucard tear one of the rat monsters in half. His jaw was coated in black tar, and his gloved hands were stained with blood. She could feel herself crying again, as she fought to drag herself forwards, fighting against the shrieking monsters. Their pain began to mix with her own, the mental link was so strong it drowned out almost everything else.

A dark shadow covered her vision, and she felt some of the weight get lifted off her back. She felt bile rising as she struggled to pull herself away, the rancid miasma of the rodents blood flooding her senses making her dizzy. She didn't look around, her vision blurry and darkening at the edges. She continued to drag herself forwards, her gloved fingers scrabbling in the dirt. She could feel her lower body was wet with her own blood, and she could feel it pooling around herself.

The blood loss made her thoughts slow, but she knew she had to keep moving. Crawling and crying she kicked off the last vestiges of the tar-like monster. Beside her, Alucard was nothing more than a writhing mass of darkness, full of deathly eyes and teeth-filled jaws. He consumed the hoard, Drinking every drop of the creature that had attacked her. He sent piercing tendrils at the limbs that blindly searched for her. Pulling herself to her feet, she stood to run, glancing over her shoulder. A single red eye was fixed on her fleeing form, it floated high above the rest of his body, tracking her jerky movements as she staggard across the wasteland.

She could hear her heavy footfalls, her legs constantly giving way and slowing her down. The monsters had consumed her energy. Her shadows were barely controlled and wispy in the wind. She wasn't sure where to go, things had already gone tits up and damned to all hell and she could barely move ten feet without collapsing. She managed to make it to the edge of the ruins, the screams of the monsters fading from her mind. The quiet in her mind gave her time to think, and to clear her thoughts. She was able to pull enough magic towards herself to heal most of her wounds, but she couldn't help the fatigue that came from the attacks.

Something, or someone, had organised these attacks. The boggarts were clearly being controlled. She had heard their screams. They had begged for death. They had no control over their actions. Their bodies corrupted beyond recognition, with no hope of escaping their fate. And this place, it had been a trap. How had she let that happen? Why were they even here? She couldn't remember anymore. She'd walked blindly into this. Something wanted her here, but why?

She heard Alucard calling for her, but she could do nothing but slump against the floor. Something was pulling her to sleep, she could hear it calling like a sirens song. She vaguely heard a chorus of screams from where she had left Alucard, but her mind was so muddled she could hardly register it.

Something licked up against her mental barriers, slick and cold. Its touch was perverse and overly familiar, it sickened her to her core. She lashed out at the mental attack, searching around her for the draining aura that had touched her and fed off this place.

She felt her body sink into the ground as black spots filled her vision. She could hear the screaming louder now, it sounded scared and so familiar. She knew it, but she couldn't place it. There was a bright flash around her, and she felt herself falling back faster. There was a flash of red above her, her master. But he was just a speck in her vision now. She tried to reach out to him, but something had wrapped around her and she couldn't get up. And then there was darkness, and nothing but creeping silence. She was alone again, and there was no one around to save her.

* * *

Private Blake chewed his bottom lip, nervously huddled in the back of the covered jeep. A mix of soldiers huddled against the cold September wind. Members of both the day and night teams had all been pulled onto the mission tonight. Rodgers had remained at base camp with a couple of the others, and the remaining seven of them were shoved into one of the trucks, with Stewart and Coleman driving up front. There had been a fair bit of banter exchanged on the journey, but now the team had made Blake their newest target.

"Oi, Blake. How long as your crush on mum lasted then?" He didn't bother to look around at the remark, content with watching the rolling landscape out the back of the truck. They'd been teasing him on and off for the past hour about his concern for Captain Victoria, but he knew he was right. There was something ominous about the way that big red bastard had looked at her that he just hadn't liked.

When Mum had left with him, he could have sworn he'd hurt her on purpose. He'd watched through the window as he grabbed at her and pulled her into a dark cloud of smoke. He had tried to talk about it to everyone at basecamp, but they had all shut him down. The only one who had seen it was Hicks, and she kept telling him to drop it. For the life of him he couldn't understand why everyone was so calm when they knew Alucard was hurting Seras purposely. He shuddered as he remembered the many punishments he'd seen Seras endure over the years. It was so Machiavellian; he'd hardly been able to stomach it most of the time. He supposed, in comparison, something like this didn't seem so bad to them. He'd never heard mum complain about it though. He'd not been on the team as long as everyone else, perhaps they all knew something he didn't.

Hicks kicked his foot lightly, a jovial smile on her face. "Don't worry so much Blake, She'll be fine. Worry about your own sorry skin. We're about to go into a battle for god's sake.".

"So is she". He muttered gloomily.

"Ah, you are right there mate. But, she is immortal, and you are not. To me, it still seems like mum doesn't need you worrying about her". Beside him, Thompson snickered but kept silent, his snarky personality remaining unusually subdued. Blake remained solemn.

"She also has the biggest homicidal manic this side of Hell as company, and we don't". Blake rubbed his palms against his knees and leaned back against the inside of the truck.

"I don't know.", replied Hicks, "Just wait until Stewart gets bored and starts singing. That's the harshest brutality any one man can inflict on another" A few laughs sputtered from the other men in the truck, small murmurs of agreement popping up. Blake couldn't help but giggle too. She was right, Stewarts singing was a gift from the gates of hell themselves. Integra had once described it as eliciting the same feelings of pain as a splinter under the fingernail. Horrifically agonising and impossible to ignore.

"Watch it Isabelle Hicks, or I'll try my hand at opera for you". Stewart flashed her a charming smile, and Blake could have sworn he saw a small blush appear on her face. Although it could have been aeration to the cold.

"Maybe you're right, Hicks." Blake shrugged. "Something about Big Red just rubs me up the wrong way, that's all. He's just so unnatural. It doesn't seem fair someone as nice as mum is condemned to spend eternity with him" He rubbed at his jaw, keen to work away the tension building up there.

"I get your concern Blake, but you've got to stop saying stupid shit in front of her" Hicks sounded oddly serious, causing the young man to look up. Her face seemed drawn and distant. "I've not been here as long as some of the old boys, but I've seen enough happen to know that you're not helping matters for yourself, or for her. If Mum sees you doubting her, she's going to think her men don't respect her. In the field, she has to know she can trust us no matter what". Her brown eyes bore into his own. She sighed, trying to find the right words. "She has to know that we believe she can win, and that we'd fight with her. Even if we have to stand against Big Red. Look, I can see you like her and there is nothing wrong with a little crush, but if you keep going like this the big guy is going to take notice, and then you'll have a big problem"

"I never! I…I don't…I wish you guys would stop with all that". Blake bumbled out a string of vague denials, all waved away by the smirking woman in front of him.

"I'm not judging", she said, not without kindness, "but just know that acting like a lovesick puppy isn't helping your denial case." She let out a merry string of laughter, her cold façade fading away. "I'm just warning you, If Alucard thinks you've got a fancy for his fledgling he will make your life a living hell. He's very protective over her. I think Thompson is right on that front, the old vamp definitely covets her." She paused "Romantically I mean"

"Yes, I got the memo Isabelle" Blake retorted snippily. He wasn't a fan of confronting his feelings for the Captain, and he was even less of a fan of knowing that they would never amount to anything.

After a brief fifteen minutes of silence, the team finally arrived at the unexplored caves. As they filed out of the Jeep and went over the plan one final time, Blake couldn't help but notice a small flash of light from the moors to the east. From the looks of it, the flash had come from the area the vampires were meant to be at. Squinting he tried to make out details on the darkened landscape, but he could barely see anything through the fog rolling across the lowland.

"Blake!" the yell came from Coleman, clearly irritated at his lack of concentration. "Get your arse in gear. You're in charge of half the detonation equipment, Thompson has the other half. Pack it up safely and get in that damned cave!"

"Yes sir!". He moved towards the truck, pulling the explosives equipment into a bag. He turned, leaving the darkened moors behind him and entered the cavern with the rest of the team. Something tugged at him to turn back, but he squashed it down, keen to get to work.


	12. All Dressed Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Integra prepares for her own mission of the evening, but monstrous murderers aren't the only demons she has to face. Will her new appearance help or hinder her battle against internal struggles and wandering eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more for my own entertainment, I really enjoy the uncomfortable tension between Integra and Alexander, they both suffer and its wonderful. Totally not cannon, I know, but it's amusing to me. Don't worry, the next couple of chapters will be with everyones favorite vampires. I realise it might be confusing flip-flopping between the two storylines, but I should have it more centralised soon. It sort of got away from me in that regard. Anyways. I am with WiFi now and have moved in! New furniture will follow soon so I may even have a desk. See you all in the next one. Caio x

* * *

**Chapter 12 - All Dressed Up**

* * *

Integra glared resolutely at the pages of the manilla vile in her hands. It contained her cover identity for the evening missions, as well as the collective info on their target. She had read over it a thousand times, but she was keen to do anything other than begin another conversation with father Alexander Anderson. Risking being noticed, she sent a covert glance in his direction, only to find him thoroughly engrossed in his own paper dossier.

The day had been trying and awkward, but thankfully she had seen relatively little of her Scottish companion. After their argument that morning, Integra had salvaged a couple hours of fraught sleep before taking a luxuriously long bath. After that she had dressed in her usual suit and remained in her rooms, going through various case files and field reports from back in England before taking a light lunch in the shared space of the hotel suite. She had expected Anderson to join her, but he had remained locked in his rooms until well into the evening. She had been halfway through a pleasant conversation with Richard when the enormous man strode out from his, wearing only a t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. It hadn't occurred to her that as a catholic priest he would even own such items of clothing, let alone sleep in them. In fact, she realised that she had never even considered that he might sleep at all. She had been so used to seeing him being in full attack mode that the thought of him doing something so pedestrian as wearing pyjamas actually made her laugh out loud.

This had earned her a strange look from both men, but she had waved away their curious looks with a small flip of her hand, the other covering her slight grin. It seemed that, according to Anderson, he had unintentionally fallen asleep for longer than planned, and was now rather famished. The fact that he was in search of food only added to her amusement, and it had taken no small amount of will power for Integra not to burst into self-indulgent laughter right there.

In the end she ordered them both all an early dinner, and a large one considering that. After the meal, where she saw Anderson devour an entire chicken, eleven whole potatoes, and more vegetables than she'd seen in her life, the room had settled into relatively comfortable conversation. Her bodyguards, although clearly not overtly friendly with the Scotsman, were seemingly happy to engage in empty chit-chat for the sake of manners. However, there were still points where the tension would rise, and Integra had to play peacemaker to avoid another repeat of that mornings incident. It was truly against her nature to be so patient with the Iscariot organisation, and it was beginning to wear on her nerves.

It wasn't until six in the evening that Anderson had decided to re-enter his rooms, in aims of taking a shower and cleaning himself up. Whilst Integra had expected him to remain hidden till it was time to leave, he emerged only thirty minutes later wearing nothing more than his hotel dressing gown and a towel draped around his neck. Neither of these garments did much to cover the gargantuan man beyond his bare essentials, and the sight had been as scarring as the previous one had been hilarious. Integra scathingly wondered if catholic priests were allowed to walk around showing that much thigh to unmarried women.

Richard was the first to protest to Anderson's appearance, actively standing between her and the priest, as though the very sight of Andersons nude form may harm her. She was relieved by his intervention, having no wish to see the view in its entirety. Vargas was close behind in his admonishment of the situation, performing an admirable amount of dramatics concerning the burning of his retinas and enduring trauma this was causing. Integra said nothing outright, but had instead opted to look at the paladin only from the very corners of her vision. Although the collective discomfort of the room couldn't convince him to actually change, he had thankfully remained seated, even accepting a blanket Integra threw at him, using it to cover his exposed skin.

He now sat across from her, looking disconcertingly domestic covered up in the fluffy throw she had offered. Integra had been thankful when Richard had chosen to sit next to her, instead of returning to his seat by Vargas. Alexanders behaviour had made her feel more uncomfortable than she expected, he seemed too relaxed for the circumstances. It only exasperated the agitation she had felt since his arrival in her hotel room.

They had remained this way for a good half hour, sat across from each other, each wrapped up in their own work. Unfortunately for Integra, there was only so much time she could spend re-reding the same ten pages over and over, before she would get bored. She decided that some light conversation would suit to entertain her slightly.

"Are you pleased with the plans Alexander?". Richard gave her a quizzical look, but it was a fairly inoffensive and practical as far as questions went and she wasn't really expecting an overly emphatic response from the man. This was a fortunate assumption, on her part, for Anderson seemed in no mood to engage in conversation. He made a semi-agreeable noise in the back of his throat, but didn't look up from his own papers.

Sighing she tried to ignore the rising cravings, grinding her teeth against the urge to smoke. Richard dug around in his pocket before throwing a small packet of nicotine gum at her, which she happily broke into. She had always found the concept of masticating on mint flavoured plastic to be a particularly disgusting habit, but if it kept her mouth busy and the cravings suppressed she could forgive herself just this once. Integra nodded her head in thanks, turning away from the paladin, her body squarely facing her bodyguards.

"What about you two? Anything to add to the proposal?" She wasn't entirely comfortable taking part in the undercover missions, but there was a sever lack of female personnel at Hellsing. She was one of the few who could both deal with the violent situation and the political nightmare of the Iscariot organisation. Her presence her was an unfortunate necessity. She would have greatly preferred remaining in England.

So far the plan centralised around her and Richard entering the speed dating event and attempting to draw out the monster Anderson still wasn't convinced it was a succubus, but Integra was certain it had to be. Nothing else made any sense. He and Vargas would act as back-up. Thankfully the event was being held in large up-market restaurant and bar, so they would be able to blend into the crowds a little easier. Well, Vargas would. Anderson would have to ditch his priestly robes and stick to the back corners to avoid drawing too much attention to himself. His large size didn't exactly lend itself to covert operations, although his strength would be an asset if it was needed. That and his ability to sense midians was rumoured to be the best the Vatican had to offer, even if he was currently denying the input of a succubae it would be helpful to know if there was something at work here.

"How do we even know the dammed creature will even be there?". It was Vargas who spoke. "Seems like a lot of work for no assurance of a kill.". He seemed a little grouchy at being stuck on watch duty, but mostly because he couldn't approach the situations guns a blazing.

Integra sighed, rubbing her temples against the headache that was forming. "All the victims of these attacks have been customers of this specific agency. They have awful online security, it's easy to hack their client list and see who's attending which meetups, profile stats, that sort of thing. Likely whatever is committing these attacks is using that to their advantage. The police investigation has delayed the event schedule, as even they have drawn the parallel between the attacks and this dating agency. Tonight's event will be the first one hosted in over a week, and we know the creature that committed these attacks is still in the city. If its hungry it'll have to take this opportunity to feed."

Vargas seemed placated by the response, if not entirely happy with the situation. She couldn't blame him; the uncertainty of the entire plan had given her pause as well. Although she could never admit it to her men. Anderson made a strange noise, and the room all turned to face him.

"What's his problem?" Richard asked her, a little too loud and snarky to be polite. He made no attempts to hide his contempt for the man, a habit that was beginning to rub Integra the wrong way. Anderson shot him a hostile glance, the air crackling about him.

"We should get moving" Integra interrupted, feeling the rising tension of the room. She gently touched Richards shoulder, breaking his death stare with the paladin, causing the man to look directly into her own eyes instead. She briefly thought how handsome he actually was when he wasn't so caught up in his aggression, but she quickly squashed the thought, replacing it with a more professional demeanour. Integra wasn't sure exactly what had caused the ire between them to suddenly spark but she was in no mood to babysit the pair of them.

Moving her hand to rest on the cushion beside her, she offered her bodyguards a tight-lipped smile. "Lieutenant Maxwell, General Vargas, you should both get ready for the evening, we will be leaving in a little over an hour, don't be late." Both men gave her a stoic 'yes ma'am' before filing out of the suite down to the own rooms. She could have sworn she felt Richard's finger glide gently across her own, but he was up and gone so fast she thought she must have imagined it. Anderson watched them carefully from where he sat opposite her.

"Obedient little pups you've got Integra. How do ye manage it?" He said, after the door had closed behind the pair. He shot her a dastardly wicked smile; she wrinkled her nose at him.

"It's in my nature to have men follow my orders, I suppose. I am used to getting my way" She offered her answer in all seriousness, but Anderson hooted at her response.

"Oh I'm sure you are!" He managed to say between rumbling barks of laughter. "Cantankerous creature, you are, Hellsing. I am not surprised you are finding it difficult to get a man to marry you. You make a formidable opponent in all faculties of life it seems"

"Oh shove off Alexander. I haven't even gone looking for one yet. You're one to talk anyways, you're far older than me and with no success in that arena either". He only continued to laugh at her barbed remark.

"Aye, true, but I have a long history, and not all priests are celibate". Integra actually blanched a little at that last comment, not entirely sure what to say in response.

"Oh, by God, spare me details!". She said hurriedly. Standing up, she threw her file down on the table and bade a hasty retreat to her room, turning back to him just before opening her door. "Go and get changed will you. That ridiculous ensemble will not be allowed within three miles of the place." She shivered, remembering the length of the garment on him and quickly closed the door before he could stand and submit her to the sight again. His rumbling laughter haunted her, and she rested against her side of the door until he stopped and moved off to his own room

Once she finally had some peace she made for the wardrobe, pulling out the two dresses that Yvette had packed for her. She scowled, neither were to her liking. The first was horrifically girlish piece, more at home in high end boutique than her wardrobe. She wondered where the dammed maid had even got such a thing. She tossed it back, scorning the garment severely. It wasn't as though it was unpleasant, but Integra wouldn't have felt comfortable wearing such effeminate attire. All the frill and puffed sleeves intimidated her beyond belief, and the sickly pastel pink was another matter entirely.

The second dress was more innkeeping with her usual style, being a well-made navy blue dress of a sensible knee length and thick material. Unfortunately it also appeared to be form fitting and daringly low-cut, with the décolletage being displayed in a pointed sweetheart neckline. It was certainly appropriate for her cover for the evening, but she was still nervous to forgo her more masculine suit style. That, paired with the inevitability of wearing heels would restrict her movements severely.

Acknowledging there was no possible alternative, Integra rummaged around in her bags to see if she could find the jewellery and makeup she knew the maid had hidden in her luggage. Having very little experience with cosmetics, she tried to remember what Seras had taught her and applied the little she felt comfortable with. It was very basic, and no one would call it astonishing work, but she was certain it accentuated her natural beaty rather than hid it. Integra was not openly vein, nor was she overly bothered with traditional beauty standards, but she was happy with her face and knew enough to recognise and emphasise her prettier facial features, whilst minimising those that were less appealing.

Just as she was about to change she found a small handwritten note tucked into the cosmetics bag. It was from Yvette.

_Dear Miss,_

_If you have chosen to wear that blue dress, I've packed you some underwear that goes with it. Yes it is necessary, otherwise the dress won't fit properly. Please wear it, if just for the sake of appearances. Don't worry no one will see them, they just look fancy because they're expensive. If nothing else you can pretend its armour or something more masculine._

_Hope you look nice, - Yvette_

_P.S. I've also packed you some flats that can fit in your handbag if needed._

She gave the girl credit; Integra had never even saw Yvette pack all this luggage away, never minds having the time to write her a note and hide an extra pair of shoes in there as well. Perhaps she was of more use than as a simple ladies maid, skills like these would be better used in espionage or field operations. "Perhaps if I gave her some weapons training…" she muttered to herself, rubbing the paper between her forefinger and thumb.

Curious as to exactly what the girl had smuggled into her luggage, Integra spent a few moments digging through her many different bags. Eventually she found her bounty. True to her letter Yvette had hidden a small flat box amongst her things, along with a pair of smart looking flats. The box was black in colour and tied closed with a shiny black ribbon. Pulling it open Integra was surprised to find what looked very much like a corset laying inside. Gingerly, she picked up the undergarment, feeling the boning through the lace and cotton. It was elaborate and elegant, and Integra began to wonder if this was all really worth it or necessary. She walked over to a mirror and looked between the dress, the corset and her own finely presented reflection.

"In for a penny" she muttered, pulling off her everyday clothes, before she could chicken out of the whole scenario. She hung her trouser suit back up into her closet, and began to pull on the corset. Luckily it was a more modern design, clasping together in the front, so she was able to get it on without assistance. The dress however was less forthcoming, as the zipper on the back became stuck just where she could not reach it. After a good few minutes spent flailing her arms fruitlessly, Integra gave up and occupied herself instead by putting on her jewellery and shoes, brushing out her hair and rummaging around for a suitable jacket to match her dress.

Her hopes had been that if she moved around enough the zip may eventually worm itself loose again and she wouldn't have to ask for assistance. This turned out not to be the case. Even after around twenty minutes of her bustling around the room, the dammed thing was still stuck, and she just couldn't get an angle right to move it. She desperately wished for Yvette's assistance and doubled down on her mental note to train her in basic weaponry for field work. The more she thought about having a heavily armed maid wherever she went, the more she began to enjoy the idea.

Deciding that there were no other options than to beg help from one of her bodyguards, Integra gathered her things and slowly crept over to her door. Holding the neckline of her dress tightly in place she peered her head around the opening, praying to god that Richard or Vargas would have returned by now.

"So yer finally ready are ye?" The Scottish lilt hit her ears with pain, and she couldn't help but cringe slightly. She desperately searched the room for other signs of life, but unfortunately Alexander alone occupied the suite. He was lounging on one of the sofas, wearing his own finery for the evening. He had forgone his usual priestly robes for an all-black suit and shirt, contrasted solely by the muted purple jumper and tie he wore. She briefly wondered where he had gotten the whole ensemble from, was he in the habit of carrying such items, or did he teleport via his magical pages to get it?

"You know, I'm starting to think that God is deliberately ignoring my prayers recently" she spat at him, as if he alone were responsible for all her bad luck.

"That's because yer a protestant, and God's a Catholic. Sooner you heathens realise that, the better". He and offered her a self-satisfied grin, which quickly changed to confusion when the rest of her body didn't emerge from her room. "What are ye hidin' in there for? Are you stuck?".

"Oh put a cork in it! Where are my bodyguards?"

"I dinnae, something about getting the cars or something. They said they'd meet us down in the lobby. I have to say they don't look half bad, your lap dogs, scrub up well do the English. When there's enough money thrown at them mind. Nothing beats a Scotsman though-" He continued to talk to himself, and Integra drowned him out, trapped in her own personal hell.

Without her bodyguards she would have to ask him for assistance, and lord knows she wouldn't be able to live that down. Her mind raced, searching for other solutions to her problem, but her mind came up blank. Steeling her nerves and sending a rather terse internal scream to the heavens, she fully stepped out of her room. One hand clutching her purse, the other resolutely holding up the front of her dress. She must have looked somewhat alarming as Anderson had completely stopped talking, remaining silent as he looked at her with astonished rounded eyes.

"Oh stop looking at me like that! I require your assistance!". She tried he best not to seem too flustered.

He stared, blinking, mouth agape, looking very much like a startled goldfish.

"Now, if you please". She waved her hand, motion him to come over to her, and he silently obliged, slowing down as he drew closer to her, as though she were a skittish animal that would pounce away if he moved to fast. "What is wrong with you?" she accused, a single un-gloved finger pointing at him. "The zipper on my dress is stuck and I cannot reach it properly. Ordinarily I'd have Richard do it or something, but since you are the only one here you will have to do". He continued to stare at her, not looking as if he had understood a single word. "Oh honestly Alexander!" She turned her back to him and waved her free hand in the air. "Zip me up. Please!" Her own cheeks were growing red and flustered, she could feel it. The sooner this was over the sooner she could walk away from this mortifying experience.

After a brief pause she felt warm fingertips touch her back and a pulling sensation as he tried to free the zipper.

"I barely recognised you" he muttered, fumbling around with the back of her dress, clearly having no more luck than she had. "You look, uh, nice. I guess. Yeah. For a protestant. Nice…". Integra wasn't certain, but she thought she could feel a slight tremble in his fingers. Surely he couldn't be that flustered, by the sight of her in a dress.

"Nice, for a protestant?" she teased, trying not to sound to amused. "I thought you priestly types were supposed to be eloquent and well-studied?". She knew that annoying him might not be the best idea, but it made her feel better about her own embarrassment.

"We are. I mean, I am". She felt him flinch as he accidentally touched her corset. "Why do you care what I say anyways?"

"Oh, I don't. you just seem a little distracted. That's all". She looked over her shoulder. "You don't look too awful yourself, you know. For a Catholic, of course". She shot him a coquettish smile with her compliment, which had the amusing side effect of making his shoulders become stiff and his attempts to help even clumsier. She gave her lashes a brief flutter before turning back around, an evil smile plastered to her face. Despite her general preference for more masculine cut suits, it still amused her that she could exert some level of feminine wiles when she tried. "Struggling Anderson?" she asked her voice the perfect representation of pure innocence.

He gave an angry grumble. "Damn, why'd they make this thing so blasted small!? It's too dark to see here, move into the light". He placed one hand on her shoulder, and pulled her backwards toward the brighter spotlights of the living room. Integra almost tripped over her own feet, unused to walking backwards in heels, and he had to catch her around the waist to stop her from falling sideways. His hands were warm where he touched her, and they left curious tingles behind once he let go. She straightened herself out and made an impatient gesture.

"Is the lighting better here then?"

"Um, yeah, sorry" He fumbled again, this time with a little more success. The zip finally slid up, and she bushed down the front of her dress, pulling it into place. She turned back around to him, noting the peculiar look he was wearing.

"This was packed by my maid. I didn't know I even owned it" She tried to steer the conversation to more neutral grounds, aware she might have been a little cruel in her earlier flirtation. She was not so well versed in the amours arts to know how to implement it effectively. She would have to do more research.

"You have a maid?" He asked, clearly happy to have the conversation move to more familiar tones.

"Hmmm, yes I inherited her along with a few others after their previous master Lord Lucan passed away". Integra began to fidget around in her bag, avoiding his gaze to check she had all the weaponry she needed for the evening. "She has proved to be more useful than not, although I believe she takes too many liberties when she selects clothing for me". She gave out a dry laugh and motioned to her current apparel. Anderson offered her nothing but a small head tilt, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, a response that she couldn't quite interpret.

She noticed she was missing her small dagger and frowned. Tsking to herself she walked away from the paladin and began pacing around the hotel suite, rummaging through stacks of paper.

"I never met Lord Lucan," He offered conversationally, tracking her strange movements "but I heard he had a penchant for hiring old espionage agents into his household. I am not surprised you took on some of his staff." Integra smiled cunningly at him as she searched the cushions of the sofa.

"Keeping tabs on my associates Alexander? I'm flattered"

"It's nowt to do with you", he snorted, folding his arms over his chest. "Standard procedure that's all". He wasn't sure exactly when Integra had managed to worm under his skin so effectively, but it was starting to become a serious bother. Never had he met someone, other than Maxwell, who pushed his buttons so effectively as this damned woman.

"Sure, just like it was standard procedure those few years back in Rome?" Anderson glowered as she shot him a playful smile. Clearly she was enjoying his misery. "As I remember you followed me around the city for three days before you would join me for coffee and just talk to me outright." He said nothing, but watched as she furtled around with one of the sofas cushions. Her outfit emphasised her previously curves, and It took most of his self-control to not stare at her rump as she bent over the piece of furniture. He faintly wished she would return to being by his side, so he didn't feel so guilty for looking at her in such a way.

She laughed triumphantly as she pulled a thin ornate dagger out from the cushions. She had been using to open letters with earlier and it must have slipped between the cushions. She slid it into her bag and sauntered back over to the man. He stood in a stewing sort of anger, clearly attempting to hide his embarrassment.

Now that she returned to stand in front of him, he realised he was no better off for being closer. Whist the view of her curves in general was obscured, he was now intricately more aware of her more famine assets. His height offered him the rather unfortunately strategic view of her plunging neckline. Worst of all, whatever godless undergarment she was wearing had only emphasised her shape, calling attention to everything he thought should be hidden.

"You are impossible to talk to". He grumbled out. "Too bloody confusing for your own good".

"Thank you. I'm glad to hear it". Deciding that there was nothing else to keep them delayed from missions' start Integra ducked into her room to grab her jacket for the evening. For lack of other options she had opted for a well cut blazer in the same colour as the dress, hanging it off her shoulders rather than using the sleeves. "Ready when you are Alexander."

He hesitated at the use of his first name, but quickly covered it with a polite smile. "Of course Integra" He offered his arm to her, but she denied it with a polite shake of her head.

"In case you forgot we aren't supposed to like each other. If my men see us walking together arm in arm my judgement will be questioned". He shrugged at her response and made towards the door, Integra following close behind.

However, once they were making their way towards the lift she quickly encountered a problem. Integra was never a fan of hotel corridors, particularly the labyrinthian designs that gave the place an equally confusing and soulless ambiance. Instinctively she kept close her companion, attuning herself to the possible threats around every corner. It didn't help that he seemed to walk with an accelerated speed, one that she couldn't match in her restrictive dress and thin heels.

Eventually she was forced to grab his arm, just to get his attention in order to ask him to put on the brakes. At her touch, he stopped abruptly, whirling around to look at where she clung to him. She ended up bouncing off of him, catching herself as she stumbled backwards. Her breathing was a little rapid, and her chest rose slightly as she fought to even out her breathing.

"Ow!" She rubbed the shoulder that had hit him in the stomach. He was surprisingly hard, it felt not unlike walking into a brick wall. "I just wanted you to slow down, not become a collision hazard!" she grumbled. Anderson on shot her a look, but said nothing if he found her behaviour strange. He continued his silence, a little slower this time, Integra able to keep up with his long strides. Eventually they found a lift and they stood together inside the cramped space, his large frame a hairs breadth away from brushing against her offended shoulder.

When the doors finally slid open, they saw the shining marble floor of the lobby, reflecting warm synthetic light cast from a large chandelier. Integra stepped out, not waiting for her companion, and scoured the area for her men. She saw them loitering around the entrance, each carrying a black umbrella under their arm. She sauntered over to them, ignoring the close tail of Anderson behind her. She felt the eyes of other patrons, that milled about, on them and she wished the damned man would keep his distance, he was attracting a few awkward stares.

"Richard, Vargas. What is the car situation for the evening?" Neither man seemed to have noticed her approach, and both jumped when she barked orders at them.

"Sorry Sir, didn't recognise you looking like that" Vargas gave an appreciative wave of his hand, and Richard offered a genuine smile and a charming incline of the head.

"You look very nice this evening, Sir Integra" The man held genuine sincerity in his smile, and his eyes shone with open warmness. Despite herself Integra found herself enjoying the compliment. Both her bodyguards were dressed rather nicely in a simple but well cut suits. Richard's was Grey and Vargas wore a curious shade of green. She knew they must have used the organisations money to purchase them. They were far too nice suits for their soldiers pay to afford.

"Thank you Maxwell. You both scrub up well yourselves". Richard gave a small chuckle and nodded in thanks. She stood in awkward silence, at a loss for what exactly they were all waiting for. "The cars?" she prompted, again.

"Oh, we've arrange two taxis", replied Vargas, shooting his comrade a reproaching look, like he hadn't also forgotten to answer. "You and I shall take one, Paladin Anderson and Richard will take the other". Integra could practically hear the two men in question unhinge their jaws to voice their opinions, but she quickly thew up a single hand, silencing all future protests.

"That will do perfectly General. Make sure to stagger your entrance after mine, lest the target suspects we arrived together." She turned to Richard, wearing the full visage of a military leader. " Lieutenant Maxwell, remember your cover tonight is a divorcé, between the two of us we should each cover the male and female participants respectively. That being said this is a cover so you should be open to either that comes to your table, were here to catch a murder, not for a fun evening."

"Yes Sir" he answered evenly, unfazed by his instructions.

"Vargas, You and Anderson are to watch the behaviours of those in the event and any interested parties in the bar itself. As of now we are unsure if the killer is operating within the organisation or watching from the outside. We keep all angles covered. Understood?". She received another affirmative nod, and let herself relax a little. "Well if we're all ready, I think it's time we get a move on, don't you?". Integra turned on her heel, careful not to fall in the precarious shoes and made towards the door. Vargas half-jogged to get to her side, and dutifully followed her through the large glass doors of the hotel.

As soon as the doors opened she was instantly grateful for her blazer. The wind was bitterly cold, catching the rain in an awkward angle as it fell. Pulling the coat tighter around herself she watched as Vargas pulled the door of a black taxi open for her, tilting the umbrella to protect her from the rain. Thanking him quietly, she quickly bustled inside, holding onto her bag and coat tightly. As the door closed, she glanced out the window, catching sight of Anderson and Richard filing into a cab of their own, huddling under a shared umbrella from the rain. Before she could laugh at the odd sight, Vargas hopped into the seat beside her and the cab pulled away, slowly rolling towards their destination, leaving the hotel and all its occupants behind.


	13. I Will Find You, Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras is without her master, alone and afraid she must find her way out of her underground prison. A new discovery will lead her closer to her fate, but there is no telling if she will want to meet it.

* * *

Chapter 13 - I Will Find You, Always.

* * *

Seras scrabbled around in the dark, desperately trying to understand her surroundings. It was pitch black, even her undead eyes were straining to see anything at all. The fall had been so sudden that she'd barely managed to soften her fall with her shadows. Her head had bounced off the stone; cracking open with a sickly crunch. The darkness had closed around her so quickly, that she briefly worried the impact had made her blind. Fortunately after about five minutes her world stopped spinning and her eyes adjusted to see the faint outline of her arms and the uneven surface beneath her.

From what she could tell she'd fallen through a sinkhole of some kind, and into an underground chamber. She was slow to heel from the lack of blood, but eventually she had been able to sit up and crawl around without her brain falling out from inside of her skull.

She tried to call out to Alucard through their bond, but her own voice ricocheted inside her mind, screeching like feedback loop on a cheap microphone. Wincing she tried to stand, but her head knocked off the low ceiling, opening her barely healing wound and causing her to shriek in pain falling to her knees.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Mother of all fucks that hurt". Seras grit her teeth against the searing pain. Gently she touched the gash feeling how her hair was sticky with her own blood. There was a shot of burning pain, traveling like lighting though her jaw and into her forehead . She had pressed too hard. The pain barely dispersed, although the bleeding slowed, even if it didn't fully heal. Whatever those rats had done when they had attacked her, it had slowed down her healing. Slowly she tried to use her shadows to feel out the space around her, but they merely flicked across the floor feebly, writhing like dying worms on the stone.

"Goddamnit!", she yelled, realising most of her powers were now failing her. There was nothing left but to feel out her surroundings the old fashioned way. Slowly she reached out her arms, letting her fingertips gently graze her surroundings. Her hands quickly found walls to the left and the right of her, and the solid rubble behind that. Above her, the rocky cavern arched up enough for her to kneel on the floor and sit on her heels, but not enough to stand or even bend over. There seemed to be nowhere for her to move, and she could feel her mania and panic shaking in her chest.

She began to feel around the walls faster now, her hands moving fast and jerkily, searching for any signs of escape. Sharp pieces of the stone bit into her knees as she fumbled around in the darkness, her bloody tears obstructing her limited vision and sapping her energy. She could feel her breathing become laboured as she became dizzy. She could swear the walls were closing in on her, the soil crumbling and choking her. She knew she didn't need air to breathe, but she felt like she was suffocating, and it made her desperate.

"I'm going to be buried alive. I'm going to be stuck down here. I'll starve to death". Her voice was rapid and uneven, words shooting from her mouth like an anxious prayer. She screamed in heart wrenching agony, trying to reach out to her master, trying to escape.

Suddenly, her hand was met by empty space, and she fell forward, skinning her chin on the wall. She was too relieved to even consider the pain, her tears, now flowing in relief. She'd found a way out! She wouldn't die here. She could see her master again. Her other hand shot forwards, seeking the taste of freedom.

The hole was small and wedged into a tight corner of small chamber. Seras squinted, trying to make out its size, or what might be on the other side, but it only seemed to be darker on the other side.

The narrow corner forced her to lie on her stomach as she pushed both arms out in front of her, pulling herself towards the hole. She managed to shove both arms through, and began to feel out her surroundings, unable to fit her head through the hole. Her fingertips met nothing but air. There was just an empty void, its cold damp air rolling between her fingers.

Her stomach dropped, her hope dwindling under the fear caused by the emptiness. There was nothing gain by remaining where she was, she would die if she stayed there. She couldn't call out to her master, or even move that much. But if she moved to the new chamber, she could fall to her death. Her body would be broken into pieces and she would be left behind. Forgotten by everyone. Seras gnawed at her lip, pulling off the loose skin and bruising the flesh with her teeth.

Her stomach turned summersaults, but she made her decision. "I have to keep moving." She said to herself sternly. "I am not a coward; I will not sit here in the dark waiting to die!" She felt around the hole, pulling loose stones and dirt from the sides making it big enough to fit through.

"I will get through this". The dirt surrounding the opening began to crumble in her hands. "I will not die; I will not fall to my death". Her mantra kept her courage bubbling as she clawed at her surroundings. The hole was now large enough for her to fit through, and her eyes had finally adjusted to see more than a foot ahead of her. The hole was still dark, no matter how long she stared, it seemed endless.

She pulled back, and flipped, so he feet now faced the hole. If she was going to jump it would be better to break her legs than her head. Gently she moved forwards pushing her legs through fully, she let them dangle freely, hands placed either side of the hole, holding up her torso. She tried to sink lower, but her uniform got caught in a rock and she was snagged in place. Her arms shook in fear, but she refused to give up. Frantically she reached behind her and attempted to un-hook herself. The stones around her body started to become loose and fall away into the void below her, she didn't hear them hit the floor. She tried to unpick the fabric, but it was caught where she couldn't reach. Sighing she knew she'd have to rip it.

"No time to bitch out of this now" she murmured to herself. Steeling her nerves Seras curled her legs upwards, tensing her muscles and her strength before throwing her body weight down ats she kicked away from herself. The fabric store, and cold wind hit her back, but she didn't notice, because for the second this evening she was falling into endless darkness. There was a fleeting feeling of complete regret, followed by a much more powerful urge to scream. Her shriek was loud and powerful, echoing of the stone walls like nothing she'd ever heard before.

The water was briny and stung her eyes, forcing her to close them against the pain. Normally she didn't breathe, but the sudden shock of the cold water forced her to take an involuntary gasp, filling her lungs with salty water. Her natural instincts took over and she began to panic and struggle, arms flailing, chest burning as it filled with liquid. She could feel it drying out her lungs, she needed to get out of the water.

She looked up, forcing her eyes to bear the sting, it was dark, but there was a small light that seemed so far away. Furiously she began to kick her feet, scrabbling upwards, fighting the heavy weight of her limbs. Eventually she managed to work her way to surface, and pulled herself to the side of the lake. She tried to take a deep breath, but her throat was full of water, forcing her to choke out the water in her lungs. She watched it splatter against the stone, much of It coming out with bloody bile and mucus from the tears in her throat.

"God…fucking…dammnit". She gasped for air between words, her voice hoarse. Everything hurt, tears threatened to fall, and her clothes clung uncomfortably against her skin. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, her body aching everywhere. The force of hitting the water had caused every single muscle in her body to spasm, some may even have torn from the impact alone. The salt in the water caused the cuts in her knees and head to sting. She could feel her arms and elbows tingling in acute agony, there must have been some cuts she hadn't noticed there.

"At least landing in water meant I didn't break my legs" she said to herself, a dry laugh escaping her lips. She could feel the cold stone biting into her back. She shifted uncomfortably

A low ringing sound began to echo around the room, and she briefly wondered if she had damaged her ears in the fall. Sitting up she shook her head, trying to dispel the sound, but it only grew louder, clearly it was coming from an outside source. Something flashed in her peripheral vision, and she saw an eerie blue light start growing from deep within the water she landed in. It branched out, branching out in molten light along unseen grooves in the rock, beneath her feet and across the walls. It illuminated the cavern in crystalline light.

Seras could see now, the walls were shaped into ornate arches, the natural stone carved away to create the illusion of a cathedral-like interior. The swirling patterns reminded her of something she had seen in museums or at culture festivals, ancient designs, evoking goddesses and serpents of religions long forgotten. Drawn to follow the light, she got up and slowly followed the blue light as it crawled towards a ring of podiums.

It settled at the base of each pillar, before climbing up towards large circular hearths that sat atop each one. Each one was set alight with a powerful blue flame that crackling against the surrounding darkness.

Looking down, Seras noticed that the podiums surrounded a drawing on the floor. From what she could tell, it was a large, seven pointed star. Each point had a stone placed at the end, decorated with different offerings. A large wooden chest sat in the very centre.

"What the?". Behind her, the light from the lake began to fade, and draw back into itself, but the lit fires it had lit throughout the chamber remained.

She looked back over to the box, and the markings that surrounded it. "What the fuck is all this?". She sniffed at the air, hoping to find some indication of what might be inside. She caught the scent of the saltwater she had landed in, the musty smell of damp earth that clung to her clothes. The fires gave off a coppery almost metallic smell, similar to the blood that clotting in her wounds. She couldn't smell anything from the box.

She crept closer to one of the podiums, trying to get a closer look at the markings that scarred its surface and those on the floor. It reminded her of the chalk drawings she'd seen coating Alucard's door and room. She wondered if this was similar to the kind of binding spell that bound him.

She stepped forwards, passing by the outer circle of rocks, and the offerings that sat atop them. They were clean and didn't look too old. Someone had been maintaining whatever this was, and that meant that she wasn't likely to be alone.

A new sense of urgency filled her movements and she tried to reach out with her third eye, ignoring the pain from where her head was still cracked open. Despite her dampened powers but she could feel a faint living aura emanating from the case in the centre of the markings. Pain blossomed behind her eyes, and her third eye was forced shut. She narrowed her eyes, scooting closer to the box, she carefully watched for any sign of movement.

As soon as she got within five feet of the box it began rattle violently, the hinges of the lid squeaking in protest.. She froze, stuck to the spot as it gyrated in front of her. Nothing else in the cavern moved, other than the crackling fires. They were still alone. Stealing her nerves, she moved forwards, determined to face down the contents with dignity. For all she knew this could be one of the lost children, somehow still alive and desperately trying to escape. She frowned and peered closer at the box. It probably wasn't the child, from what she had seen through her third eye, the aura had been so weak it barely looked human. If her powers weren't so weak she might have attempted to understand its aura, but at most she could sense nothing other than it was awake

"No point in being a coward now", she scolded herself, before ripping the box wide open. Looking down Seras saw a complete human skull sitting neatly in a bouquet of dried lavender. Small purple fires burned in the black abyss of each eye socket, burning an unseen fuel. It jerked around to face her; its burning eyes locking with her own. Seras screamed. The skull screeched back.

Dropping the lid of the box with a loud crash, Seras stumbled backwards, her wet boot slipping out from under her on the stone floor. She lurched backwards; landing heavily on her tailbone, pain shooting up her spine. Her yell became increasingly pained and the skulls' more harrowing, their voices echoing off the cave's wall, ripping through her injured head like a jackhammer. Seras clamped her hands over her ears, biting down on her tongue to suppress her own voice.

Slowly the skull quietened, and Seras was able to lower her hands. The pain still hammered against her skull, every sound ricocheting in her ears. She fruitlessly rubbed her forehead trying to disperse the ache, wincing when her finger pressed on the split flesh of her scalp. She tried to call on her powers and pull her skin together, but she could feel something subduing them. It faintly reminded her of Anderson's bible pages, and how they had stopped her powers and outright stopped others. But this felt different. Father Anderson had the ability to block or remove her powers, this was more like something stronger was overpowering her. It felt like drowning.

A few feet ahead of her, the box rattled, drawing her attention. She moved her feet beneath her in a low crouch, and slowly crept forwards.

She peered over the edge, staring at the bone inside. Two spherical flames were burning in each socket, glowing an eerie lilac colour.. Seras paused, marvelling at the fact that it genuinely seemed to be looking at her.

"What the hell…?" she murmured, reaching out to touch it. Before she could get close enough, the skull shunted away from her, seemingly able to propel itself around slightly, despite the complete lack of limbs normally necessary to do so.

"It's a little forward to put your hands on me, especially when we haven't even been introduced.". It cried out, more in annoyance than actual fear. Seras yelped and recoiled her hand, holding it to her chest as if the skull had burned her. It continued to star up at her.

Despite the fact that it had no flesh or muscle, its jaw had moved as it spoke. The lilac flames seemed to be something akin to eyes much and they even wavered around slightly, as though it were looking her up and down. Seras tilted her head, gaping at the creature before her. Despite the flames, the interior of the skull seemed to be completely devoid of light.

"It is un-ladylike to gawp girl". The skull definitely sounded haughty.

"Oh, sorry." She closed her mouth and backed up slightly. " I'm Seras." She offered lamely, completely unsure if she should be talking to a sentient skull. "Seras Victoria". She blinked nervously.

"Hmm, Seras Victoria". The skull seemed to think on her name briefly, allowing it to roll around its empty cranium. Its voice sounded feminine, although deeper and huskier than Seras' own. The accent was pleasant, but she couldn't place it specifically.

Eventually its locked gaze back on her, sending chills down her spine. "I have never heard of you, although the fates seem to think you are important". The skull had sounded somewhat confused by its own statement, but Seras had no idea what 'the fates' even were, let alone why she'd be important to them. There was a small pause and Seras got the impression this information was somehow important.

When she didn't respond, the Skull made a dismissive noise and spoke again "My name is Feidelma" She saw it shift slightly against the dried flowers, burying its chin downwards before looking back up at her. "You may call me Delma".

"Sure. Delma. Hi" Seras gave a small closed mouth smile and wave to the skull, completely unsure what to do in the absurd situation. Seras' mind was racing on what she was supposed to do with the thing, it seemed friendly enough, despite the earlier screaming. As though reading her mind the skull spoke again.

"Apologies for my earlier hysterics, I have not seen a stranger in many years, and you look so dishevelled and bloody I thought you were here to kill me". Delma said, giving a small and, if at all possible, haughty head wobble, before focusing on the cave around them both.

Seras looked down at her blood and salt stained clothes and wondered how terrible she must have looked. She could tell how bad she smelt. Her uniform was still wet, and the dirt from the sinkhole and cave-in now coated her skin in watermarked patches. Her head-wound was oozing and the blood was drying and clotting in her hair. With her powers being suppressed and the loss of blood, she felt severely fatigued. Frustrated, she began questioning the skull.

"Why are you relaxing in a box in the middle of an abandoned cave Delma?", the mixture of pain and exhaustion wearing her voice thin.

"It's not an abandoned cave, and I wasn't relaxing". It made a noise that sounded something akin to a sniff, before continuing. "I am a prisoner of the ladies who live off this land. Apparently they didn't like what I had to say very much. Or they didn't want other people to hear it. Although, I suppose the two are not mutually exclusive concepts…"

Seras rolled her eyes, not in the mood for longwinded conversations. She cut in the skull's monologue. "So you don't know about the boggart attacks on the local village?"

"oh that? Yes I know all about that, always have done. But you see that was the problem, I wasn't supposed to, at least not before them. Creatures don't like it when you tell them what they are going to do". Seras frowned deeply.

"Wait, you told the boggarts to attack the village?", Seras' voice was ripe with barely contained anger.

"No, of course not, silly girl. It wouldn't benefit me; I just knew they were going to do it. And of course, they didn't like that"

"They? They who? The boggarts?"

"Hmm? I don't suppose those little creatures were happy about it either, but for entirely different reasons I assure you. Despite what you think they don't actually like children's bones that much.." Seras swore she could feel her brain leaking out of her nose with every second of the conversation that passed her by.

"Shut it! Who are they?! Who orchestrated the attacks?!" Her patience wafer thin.

"The ladies"

"The ladies, who?"

"The ladies who rule these lands", the skull replied, its voice incredulous.

Seras almost screamed, her stamina finally leaving her. Reaching out she grabbed the skull, and pulled it from the box.

"Right, you are coming with me. You're too weird to be left behind, and I need someone else to talk to you, because I can't be arsed right now." As she held Delma in on clawed hand, noticing small engravings around the base of the cranial bone. Storing it as a problem for later, she held the skull up to her face, squaring her shoulders to appear more confident than she felt. "You and I are getting out of here, and then, once we find my master, you're going to explain all this bullshit to him. He might even be mad enough to understand your ramblings."

Without waiting for Delma to respond, Seras cradled the skull in her weaker arm, leaving her better one free to defend them should she need to.

Looking around, she saw a large arched pathway in a far corner of the cavern and began to march towards it. The blue flames that lit up the room, also seemed to have reached the arch and the passageway beyond it, so at least she wouldn't be scrabbling in the dark for much longer.

"Am I right, Miss Seras, in assuming you are lost?" Delma's question was sarcastic but entirely cruel sounding. Seras found herself being honest with the beheaded skull.

"Yes. Completely" She managed to get out between gritted teeth

"I expected as much. No-one has wandered down here in millennia. Well no-one but _them_ , of course, but we can agree they don't count yes?"

Seras was barely listening to the idle chatter, focusing on moving forwards, despite the growing pain in her head. "Yes, I suppose" she muttered gruffly.

"Although, I have to say, I am glad you did walk, or rather fall, into my cavern. It'll be nice serving a new master. Plus being able to taste fresh air would be nice. You're very kind to take me with you dear."

Seras made an affirmative noise at the back of her throat but wasn't wholly listening, unsure exactly what the skull was babbling about. The path before her branched out three different ways, each one dimly lit by icy blue flames that reflected softly off the slick walls. She couldn't see any difference between them, and nothing indicated any change in elevation or any breeze to follow.

"Don't suppose you know which one of these tunnels leads out of here do you?", the vampire asked her companion, hoping that, at some point, she would find moonlight and her master again.

"Hmmm? Let me see, I can't see anything under your arm!". Seras moved to hold the skull forwards slightly, irritated by its tone.

"If you're wanting to leave quickly, you'll want to take the middle one. It'll take you directly to the main chambers, and to the grand entrance. Although I must warn you that we'll have to go past the ladies. It'd be far safer to hide out and wait for them leave."

Seras sniffed, knowing she was in no state to fight. Something was still suppressing her powers. She suspected these so called ' _ladies'_ were responsible, and for the attacks on the village. Whatever they were she couldn't fight them alone.

"How long would it take to wait them out?" she queried the skull, hopefully.

"Oh I shouldn't think more than a month."

"A MONTH?!" Seras whisper yelled, "I can't wait that long! I'll go mad from starvation; my master would tear this place apart before that amount of time passed!.". At the mention of his name, Seras felt something brush against her mind, its touch silky and chilling. She knew it was her master. She tried to call out to him, but the connection was ripped away by something, leaving an agonising silence behind. She let out a pained cry, the emptiness inside her throbbing like a searing wound. The skull clearly mistook her scream for one of anger and seized it as a chance to chastise her.

"You are a dramatic one, aren't you? Look at yourself! You know perfectly well that you are in no condition to fight. And certainly not against the ladies." Delma sounded like an old schoolmistress scolding errant child. "Look at you, your just a child. What use could you be against them?"

"I am a vampire!" Seras spat back, tired of the damned skull impertinence. "I am the fledgling of the most powerful vampire there is, and I work as a soldier for the undefeated Hellsing organisation, and for her majesty the queen". She began shaking the skull in fury. "I have battled hell's daemons and survived, what are two women to me?"

The skull was quiet, its eyes flickering from being shaken. It seemed to be considering her words. Seras hoped that she may have frightened the damned thing into silence, but she was quickly proven wrong.

"If your master is as powerful as you claim, then where is he?" The barb was well placed, striking directly the growing fear swelling in the pit of Seras' stomach. Was he actually going to find her? Would she ever see him again? She felt her fingers itch at the thought of burring them in his clothes as she embraced him. The comforting hold of his mind against hers.

Channelling her doubt into anger she continued to yell at Delma "He's the strongest vampire there is! He is unparalleled in his power and his prowess in battle has never been matched. He will tear this place apart to find me, and I would do the same for him!". She could feel her voice becoming shill and tears stinging her eyes. How dare this scrap of life criticise her master! Who was this old bag of bones to say such a thing!

"Oh I'm sure he is dear." Delma continued, her voice saccharine and self-amused "And the fact that he let you to fall into the lair of two highly dangerous spirits, completely under-equipped and unprepared to survive without him, is a credit to his prowess as a master, I'm sure".

"That's my fault not his! I'm a bad student!"

"Oh, and I'm sure he told you so, didn't he? Yet where is your illustrious teacher my dear? I do not see him here. Nor can I feel his presence in these caverns. Some humans are here, as are the ladies and their servants, but you stand as the only vampire."

Seras frowned, her heart faltering under the crushing weight of being abandoned. She knew it wasn't entirely true, she had felt her master searching for her, but the skull's words had stung. She slumped against the wall of the passageway, her damp uniform squelching against her skin. The only thing that pulled from her solemn mood was a small part of Delmas little speech.

"You can sense the caverns?". Her brows furrowed as she spoke, trying to force her tired mind pull the pieces together.

"Oh yes. I am currently enslaved to the Ladies. As a result I have insight into their dwellings. Becoming my master has made them vulnerable in ways they do not entirely like. That's why they trapped me in the box. I have my uses, but I do come with a certain amount of liability." Seras knew the feeling.

She tried to sort through all the idle chatter she'd ignored. Delma clearly wanted out, and to find a new master? But she couldn't quite understand what that had to do with her. And there was only one exit? That couldn't be right, because she said there were humans down here, and they had to have found a way in without disturbing the ladies.

"Wait! What about those humans? Who are they?". The skull was momentarily quiet, rocking disconcertingly under her arm.

"They look to be soldiers of some kind. They are a bit roughened up, but are certainly doing better than you are". Seras smiled at the news. Her troupe were here! The caverns up north must have connected to these tunnels. Perhaps there was a way out of here after all. She pushed herself off the wall her vision becoming momentary blurry, causing her to pitch forwards slightly. She managed to catch herself and hold back the rising bile.

"Tell me how to get to them Delma. They can help me get out."

"Certainly dear". And with that Seras began her wanderings of the tunnels and caves, guided by the peculiar talking skull and her ever present desire to live and defeat her enemies. She grit her teeth against the mounting pain in her head, and followed the path Delma set out for her. She called out to her master, hoping her message might reach him.

" _I'm coming master. I will survive. I will find you, always"._


	14. The Silver Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras, duded by her new cranial companion, finds her way through the underground tunnels, but she must fight many monsters before she can be re-united with her master. Will she survive long enough to see him, and will her team still follow her if they see her more monstrous side?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so surprise, another chapter. I like this one, although Im glad it's over. Writing Seras alone is a little difficult sometimes, maybe I'm just biased towards Alucard and their flirtation. Sorry for slow uploads, student life is still sucky, but I guess thats just how its gonna be for a while. Hope you're all keeping safe and happy. Thank you all for the lovely reviews and comments, they really make my day. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter and that I'll see you next time. Ciao xx.

* * *

Chapter 14

* * *

Seras had been walking for what felt like hours. Feidelma had been giving her instructions on which turns to take, and how to avoid walking into the guards that patrolled the caves. The twisted labyrinth refracted sound peculiarly, often making things seem far closer or more distant than they actually were. Despite her hearing being one of her few powers yet to abandon Seras, she could not rely on it to guide her. Some parts of the caves were even taken over by unnatural silence, leaving her dependant on Delmas assistance.

"How much further till we find my men?", Seras asked Delma, her voice fraught with impatience.

"Not long now dearie. We would be there sooner, but you're not moving awfully fast, and your men keep wandering in circles. It's a wonder they haven't been spotted by the guards yet".

Seras let out a tense sigh and continued to stagger down the hall, her one good arm holding her weight against the wall. Her wounds had mostly closed by now, but they weren't healing like they should be. She needed blood, and soon.

Ahead of her there was a loud crash, followed quickly by the sounds of yelling and bullets. She instantly recognised the sound of her men in battle. Her eyes widened and she pushed herself off the wall and ran towards the sounds, guided by the skull beneath her arm.

When she finally turned the corner, she felt her chest swell with combatting emotions. Her team was here, and they were all alive, but they were injured and currently fighting some hideous creature. It looked like a horrific amalgamation of a bear, wolf and the very stone that surrounded it, its mottled grey fur covering rippling muscle and powerful arms. Its jaw was filled with grotesquely sharp teeth, and jagged rocks protruded through its flesh along the spine and down to its temples. She watched as it absorbed bullets and took a swipe at one of her men, sending him flying against a wall with a sickening crunch. He didn't get up.

Before she could stop herself, she dropped the skull to the floor and launched herself at the beast, latching onto its shoulder. She could smell the fresh blood from its wounds, and her clawed fingers tore at the creatures fur, desperately trying to find flesh to sink her teeth into.

Her men were clearly confused, and their voices sounded nothing more than a symphony of fear to her now. The creature had forgotten them, sensing the danger of the creature on its back. She was far too great a threat to ignore, the humans were nothing but flies compared to her.

It slammed her against the wall, its own body suffering damage from the impact. She felt the gash on her head burst open, and fragments of her skull splinter against the stone. She was disoriented and foggy, but her instincts new prey when they saw it and she stayed latched onto the creature. She had pulled enough of the fur away to reveal raw and blistered skin. Veins filled with blood pulsed along the surface, serenading her with every beat of the beasts great heart. She lurched forwards, sinking long fangs into the skin. Rich blood flooded her mouth. Its taste was earthy and salted, not sweet like a humans could be. She drank deeply, feeling it replenish her body, her wounds slowly pulling together, healing with new energy. Beneath her the beast howled in pain, writhing around the enclosed space desperately trying to shake her off.

It began running at full pace towards a particularly jagged group of rocks, clearly aiming to impale her, and possibly even itself. Seras was forced to release her grasp, unsure if she could survive such damage on so little blood.

She rolled harshly along the ground as she jumped off, the creature fighting to stop its collision now that it had forced her off. She pushed herself up and watched as it swung itself to the side, claws piercing the ground as it used the momentum to spin itself around to face her. It snarled at her. She snarled back.

She heard the sound of gunfire, and she turned to see her soldiers firing at the beast, taking advantage of its fixation on her to hit it where it hurt. She gave them a vicious smile, blood dripping down her chin and sliding past her teeth. This was good. They had their prey on the back-foot.

Someone managed to land a few shots on the creatures face, ripping an eyeball from its socket, along with much the left side of its face. It let out an ungodly scream, forcing her men to cease fire and protect their ears. Seras cackled, the sound beautiful to her. She advanced, sprinting with claws outstretched.

She collided with the creature with all her weight behind the attack, pinning it to the rocks it had tried to skewer her on. She watched as a long rock protruded through the beast's neck, severing its vocal cords and shattering its spine. It lurched and twitched, desperately clinging to its life. She didn't bother to watch it die as she ripped open its chest and tore away its flesh. It finally died as she jerked the large heart out from its ribs, feeling the organ twitch as it pulsed for the last time. She bit into the heart, drinking the blood deeply, before eating the flesh along with it. She scrabbled forwards, drinking the blood that poured from the animal and pooled at her feet.

She felt her skin slowly closing around her injuries, her ribs reforming where the fall had cracked them. Her splintered skull began the dull ache of healing itself, and she began to notice all the small placed she'd injured herself. She heard, and felt, some of her finger bones set back to their original place. The healing was slow and painful. Even with all this blood, something was still slowing her powers down.

Her shadows flickered faintly at her feet, soaking up every drop of the creature, gorging on the bloody meal. Behind her she was briefly aware of a soldier approaching her, and she jaggedly held up her hand, knowing if they got too close she may jump at them. Whoever it was, quickly stopped and watched as their commander savaged the beast that had attacked them.

It was Blake who had approached her. None of the troop had expected to see their commander down there, but they were thankful that they had. He was certain that without her some of them would have died. But now, as he looked to his saviour, he couldn't help but question if he was fighting the real evil. She was covered in blood, some of it hers, most of it the creatures. She had appeared, looking beat-up and damned to hell, but here she stood, wrapped in shadow and revelling in the kill. She didn't look even remotely human now. Her eyes glowing a hellish red, and her carnivorous smile splitting her beautiful face like a knife wound. He was terrified. But she had told him to stop. She had stopped herself from killing him. Perhaps she was still redeemable, even like this? He heard a loud, wet crack, and watched as her hand snapped back into its socket.

He watched as the shadows around her dissipated, and the blood was cleaned from her skin. Her eyes dulled and became focused on her surroundings, and she turned to look at him, a small frown playing on her soft features. Her body was still healing itself, and he could see her spine was curved at an impossible angle, likely broken from one of her many falls or fights.

"Ma'am?" he asked nervously, his hands raised in a sign of submission. He, alone, stood forward from the group, the rest either tending to their wounds, or too afraid to approach her. She looked over to him, her glassy eyes looking straight through him. She didn't respond. She barely looked awake. He heard another bone crack into place.

"Captain Victoria, are you okay? Where is Big Red?". At the mention of her master, she seemed to focus more, sadness creeping into the edges of her eyes.

"I don't know, I fell…". She wandered back towards where she had appeared from. Her speech sounded distant, and Blake could hear the fatigue in her voice. He felt sorry for her, right up until the point that she picked up a human skull from the floor and cradled it under her twisted arm.

"Sir! What the fuck!?". He couldn't keep the fear and repulsion from his voice. He stepped back from her, walking right into another private. His yelling caught the attention of a few others, also alarmed by their Captain supporting a skull in her arms. Behind him, he heard the reassuring tones of Sargent Coleman.

"Captain Victoria! Explain yourself. Why are you carrying a human skull? Stand down!".

Seras immediately halted, eyes wide and shocked, she watched her team. They stood in silence, waiting for her answer. They all knew what Coleman had really meant when he yelled, his un-asked question hung in the air like a foul smell.

Was that skull the product of her feasting on a human? Had she finally snapped and killed someone, leaving nothing but their bones behind? Was this some sort of prize? A trophy from a kill? After what they had witnessed none among them could deny she was capable of such an act. Seras could see it painted on their faces, the irrefutable fear and disgust. The image was made worse as her skin knitted over her wounds nauseatingly slow, her spine slowly cracking itself into place, vertebrae by vertebrae. She hardly even seemed to notice as her back jutted and crunched into place. They were seeing her for what she was. A monster.

Private Isabelle Hicks was the first to break the silence.

"Coleman…Sarge- I don't think it's that. She has an explanation. Don't you mum?". Whilst Isabelle had no doubt that Seras was _physically_ capable of killing a human, she didn't believe she was _spiritually_ capable of it. Their vampire commander had more humanity in her little finger than most full blooded humans she knew. She wouldn't doubt her Captain now, they'd all been through too much together. There had to be another reason.

Seras, who was relieved to see someone still had faith in her, let out a small breath.

"Yes, sorry. This skull…it's…I found…". Seras looked down at the skull she held in her arms, desperately trying to find the words to describe Delma, a thing she barely understood herself. "I found her, when I fell into one of the chambers. She wants to leave this place. She spoke to me. She's helping me get out of here…". She looked up, hoping her words wouldn't sound completely insane.

Her team blinked back at her, confusion marring their faces as they looked between her and the skull. She felt an acute pang of panic ripple through her chest. Her team was doubting her. Probably thought she'd lost the plot, just like her master had. Seras had to admit that when Delma had first started speaking, she had faced the same quandary herself, but she didn't want her team to believe it.

"I know I sound mad, but I promise I've not gone wacko just yet. I'm not my master". Coleman nodded, seemingly satisfied with her explanation, but still seemed to watch her with a careful eye. She tried a reassuring smile, and the members that knew her better seemed to be reassured by this. Others still looked at her with contempt.

"Did you say the skull talks mum?", It was a Corporal Stewart who spoke, a mixture of amusement and practiced worry in his eyes. She could tell he was right on the edge of teasing her, but she still fell for it.

"Honest to God, I was fighting with Alucard, and then something pulled me underground. I had to dig my way into this cavern, fell into a magical pool of water and swam out, only to find Delma, screaming and yapping away at me!". She tried to keep her voice from becoming pitchy.

"Delma?" Stewart asked, clearly confused.

"Delma, Feidelma really. It's what the skull calls herself." She looked down to the offending cranium I question, "Isn't it that right Delma?"

The skull remained quiet, even the fires in her eyes seemed missing. Seras frowned. _Had she picked the wrong skull back up?_

"Yes, of course mum. We can call her that if you like." Stewart seemed to be accepting the apparent loss of her faculty with a little too much aplomb for Seras' liking. She scowled at him.

"And you found this…Delma… after falling into a magic fountain?" Stewart, genuinely seemed to be holding back amusement now.

"Magic pool! It was a pool, Stewart. Completely _natural_ body of water!" She waved a finger at him already riled by his teasing. "And it was a ruddy cold one too! Salty and pitch black! If I could drown I certainly would have!". At this point the pair had come within spitting distance and were beginning to fire snide barbs at each other.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Captain, but you mentioned Alucard and you were fighting something, at the ruins?". The gruff tones of Coleman interrupted the pairs bickering. Seras wasn't overly bothered, better to remain focused on the mission than on an argument with Stewart. She turned away from the infuriating man, trying to salvage some semblance of her dignity.

"Yes". She crinkled her nose at the memory of the fight. "there were these horrific rat monsters. The boggarts had been corrupted by something, it's like they were melting into each other.". She shivered, just thinking of them made her skin crawl. "I was separated from Alucard during the fight. I suspect he finished them off, they seemed less of an issue for him…". She looked down, feeling the skull move against her slightly. No one else seemed to notice its movements.

She watched as the small fires grew in its sockets, flickering up to look at her. ' _I knew I picked Delma up! Wonder why she didn't speak earlier?'._ She thought to herself.

"Can you call him down here? It's not like _you two_ to be separated on a mission. I'm sure he's _very_ keen to get his hands on you mum.". Stewart cut in again, interrupting her train of thought, his tone clearly mocking her now. A few of the privates snickered at his comment, others began to look uneasy..

The question had been edged with just enough sarcasm that Seras was forced to confront him. Seras had no doubt he was alluding to her masters flirtations and manhandling they'd all witnessed in recent months. Stewart was testing his boundaries, seeing if she'd rise to the bait, testing her resolve as a leader. She clenched her teeth, biting back the urge to punch him in the throat. She knew having Alucard around would make her men question her authority, especially when he treated her as nothing but a dog. But knowing Stewart had the confidence to do so to her face made her blood boil. At least a few of her comrades seemed to still be on her side.

"Watch your tone Corporal! I won't hesitate to see you demoted to ghoul duty for the rest of your miserable sodding life. You'll be good for nothing when I'm done with you" Her icy tone was enough to make his stupid smile falter at the edges. Seras took it as a small victory. She'd come up with a suitable punishment if they both managed to survive this evening.

"Since you're so interested, no I can't call him down here. The creatures that attacked us drained a lot of my blood, and I sustained a lot of injuries down here. Feeding on this creature has allowed me to heal, but something is still blocking my powers down here." Absently she tried to call out to her master again, pushing hard against the resistance that surrounded her. She felt as though she might be close, recognising her master's aura somewhere close, but she was unable to reach it. Alucard's aura was chaotic and unstable at the fringes of her mind, his manic and un-organised mind thrashing against itself. It often looked like this in battle, and she wondered if he were still fighting the boggarts. She desperately wanted him close, she was tired; her team questioning her. For once she actually wanted him to save her, not just leave her alone to work. Sighing, she o let the connection go, resolved to her fate.

"I can sense he is close, but I cannot open any communication ,or get his attention. Something very powerful is keeping us apart. Get me back to the surface if you want to call him.".

Coleman grabbed Stewart's arm, turning them both away to have a hushed conversation. Normally she would have been able to eavesdrop, but the sound of bones-reforming in her skull was so loud that she only got every-other word. From what she could tell, Coleman was irritated and Steward dismissive. She turned her attention elsewhere; they clearly didn't want her input.

A few members of the daylight team had been recruited for this mission, but her second Rodgers was not with them. She felt another pang of sadness pass through her. He would have known she was no harm; he would have stood up for her against Stewart. She suffered his absence as keen as her masters.

"Rodgers must still be at base camp" she muttered to herself, not expecting to be heard. To her surprise, Delma took this moment to speak, replying to her quiet statement.

"Then I shall have to meet him later my dear. I doubt he will come her without good reason". Seras stiffened, feeling the sudden silence like a knife in her skin. All of the eyes of the soldiers were locked on to the skull in her arms. Delma had spoken just loud enough for most of them to hear, despite their conversations. Seras frowned. She'd been a little too loud, come to think of it. She glowered down at the skull.

"You did that on purpose! You wanted to unsettle them!" she accused the cranium loudly.

"Oh nonsense! Why would I do such a thing? I am dead, and therefore above such childish behaviours". Seras snorted, knowing perfectly well that being dead put no limitations on foolish behaviour. Her master was a testament to that fact, and he had been killed many times over.

"Oh that's a load of horse-shit" Seras replied, her words crackling with irritation. "You've spent hours teasing me and purposefully terrifying me! Admit, it, you have fun scaring people".

If the skull could have shrugged in a nonchalant manner, Seras highly suspected she would have. Instead it simply answered her.

"Maybe, but only if you admit that you like getting into arguments and fights for fun".

Seras actually gasped, her mouth hanging open at the suggestion. She heard more than one of her men snicker again and she turned to them with no small amount of fury in her eyes.

"I do not!" she argued, likely proving her point wrong with those three same words. "I am a calm, patient and peaceful person! I do not enjoy arguing with people!".

Her protests were only met by more laughter, and even a well-worn smile from Coleman, who was old enough to know denial when he saw it.

"To be fair Mum, you just spent the past twenty minutes arguing with that tosser" One of the men pointed at Stewart, who had enough arrogance to looked shocked.

"We always assumed that's why Big Red likes you so much, Mum. You're always arguing with him, if you get a chance. We recon you both must enjoy it more than normal." It was Hicks who had spoken. Beside her Thompson and Blake nodded in fervent agreement, juvenile smiles lighting up their faces. All traces of fear and doubt had been wiped from their faces, instead they were filled with mirth and amusement for her discomfort.

Seras relaxed a little, knowing they must not truly fear her if they could laugh at her like this. She giggled a little herself, admitting she may have enjoyed the odd argument or two.

"You may have a small point, but I'm not going to fully agree there." She held the skull up so her troop could see her properly. "I suppose I should introduce you all to Delma. She who can guide us out of here. She had been imprisoned by the women who live down here, the same ones who I think are responsible for the attacks on the village. They are incredibly powerful, suppressing my powers and creating the horrific creatures we have found down here. Despite this, our mission remains unchanged. Find and destroy them all."

There was a brief uprising of concern amongst the lower ranks, Coleman and Stewart were still whispering, although looked a little concerned now faced with a new enemy. She let everyone calm a little before looking over the group. All of them seemed healthy, a little worse for wear in some places, but over-all still fighting fit. The young man who had been thrown against the wall was the only exception, suffering from bruised ribs and a mild concussion. Luckily his vest had taken the brunt of the impact, but not enough to save his head from being cracked off the wall.

"Right. As I see it we have two options to go from here. One is return to the surface the way you came in; we call for back-up, re-group and form an attack. This will give us numbers, but may cost us time and the element of surprise. They'll likely notice the beast we killed is missing by then, and will be on high alert. Option two is to forge ahead from here, Delma can guide us directly to them, but we have an injuries and no contact to back-up or to Alucard. We lose in numbers and attack force, but gain the element of surprise."

She looked to Coleman, hoping he would have insight into the choice. She was more partial to number two herself, having fed she felt strong enough to fight, and she was hesitant to seem reliant on her master in front of her own team.

"We'll go with you Ma'am. Your choice has never served us wrong in the past." Colemans answer was suitably cryptic, and unhelpful, but the team all seemed to agree with him.

"Fine, Option Two it is. We fight our way out." She turned to the injured member. "I don't expect you to know your way out on your own, and you won't be good for fighting for a while. Stay in the middle of the group so we can keep an eye on you, and when you're able to hold your gun steady we'll let you fight. Until then you're in charge of ammo supply. Everyone else, you've got two minutes before we move out. Get your arses in gear."

Seras watched as they began to shuffle about, refilling ammo and tending to the last of their wounds. Turning down to Delma she began working out the route they would have to take to get to the so-called "ladies' who owned this place.

It wouldn't take them too long, maybe about an hour to get there, but they would have to approach quietly to not be spotted and killed before they could reach them. Seras was dubious of the skull's honesty in certain matters, but had no other option than to trust it. It was certainly holding something back, but Seras couldn't pin-point exactly it was.

"Are you sure there is nothing you aren't telling me?" She asked, hoping a more direct approach might aid the situation'

"Most definitely, but there are certain things I cannot reveal to you. Despite my wishes otherwise I am a slave to the ladies, and they have forbade me from speaking on certain things. Just as you are unable to break your connection to your master, I cannot be free of them until they die."

"So you were always hoping I would kill them?" Seras asked.

"Oh yes, although simply putting distance between us would have been nice. I get so bored locked away in that box. Centuries in there has become a tedium beyond belief. But death is, of course, preferable"

"Of course"

Seras shook her head and smiled a little. One of her men had given her a small satchel she could put Delma, so she could keep her hands free. They also gave her a shotgun and some shells, so she wasn't completely unarmed. Her own guns had been lost back at the ruins when she fell through the ground. She felt a pull of guilt, knowing Sir Integra had gifted her the guns from her personal collection. She really hoped Alucard had picked them up

They were a few turns away from the chamber where Delma claimed the ladies would be housed, when Seras felt something press against her mind. She held up her hand, signalling for her troop to wait. For a while she had noticed that the pressure against her powers was growing, the limited freedom she regained from the beasts blood was all but gone now. Her shadows only wavered slightly, not becoming corporeal or effective in any way. Her telepathy was all but gone, and she had no idea if she would be able to heal if she were injured again. She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"We're almost there, I want you all to keep an eye out here. My normal tricks aren't working in here, so don't rely on me to save your arses. Coleman, you take the two day team members and fan out to the left, Stewart, you take our three from the night team and fan out to the right. I'll take the centre, and distract the combatants if necessary. You see something, shoot, ask questions later. That clear?"

"Yes Sir!" They approached the hall as quietly as they could, the arched doorway was large, and the room beyond was well-lit. That afforded them some decent amount of shadow to hide in, although Seras was certain whatever was waiting for them already knew exactly where they were.

The room through the door seemed oddly plush compared to the rest of the Labyrinth. Where all other rooms and corridors had been cold and spartan in their decoration, this was full of soft pillows and colourful woven rugs. There were series of almost Grecian looking columns and low walls encircled the centre of the chamber, good enough for her men to hide behind. She motioned for her team to split up and take their places in Seras hung back, the last to enter the strange space.

Walking into the light, Seras didn't bother take cover. Her eyes stung against the warm light and heavy incense that filled the space. Now inside she could see how it greatly resembled the cavern she had first fallen into. Carved walls arched high over a large pool of water with intricate designs carved into the relief of the walls. This room, however, had been tiled with beautifully coloured mosaics, statues of gods stoop above carved inscriptions and the rudimentary blue flames were now captured within a plethora of colourful glass lamps. Someone clearly used this room regularly, and from the crushed cushions and freshly lit firepit, they had been very recently.

A distant booming caught her attention and she whirled to face the far wall. It sounded like something large was crashing against the other side, trying to break through. The water in the large pool began to ripple, and Seras slowly moved towards it, turning her back on the booming noise. Peering down she swore she could see something move underneath the surface. The shape seemed oddly human looking, but it shone like silver.

"What the?"

As soon as Seras spoke the silver creature's eyes snapped open, sparkling like emeralds and full of hatred it met her gaze. It lunged at her.

Seras couldn't move back fast enough. The thing broke the surface of the water supernaturally fast, long, icy cold fingers wrapped around her neck, choking her. Horrific banshee-like screaming filled her ears, and Seras found for the second time that evening, betrayed by her sensitive ears. As a reflex she savagely kneed the creature in the ribs, forcing it to roll aside and release her.

She heard her men gasp when they saw what had attacked her, and when she fully beheld it, she had to stifle her own. Stood before her was a giant woman, her body was shimmering silver, the texture of a roughened snakeskin. Her hair was slicked back and icy white. She would have been considered beautiful, but half of her face was raw and peeling, her silver skin shedding away, revealing bleeding muscle underneath.

The silver woman screamed, her mouth opening to reveal rows of pointed teeth, protruding through swollen gums. Her breath stank of brine and something oddly spicy. Before Seras could place the sent the silver woman lunged at her, sinking her rough talons into Seras' shoulder.

Seras fell backwards, twisting enough not to land on her head for the third time that evening. With the woman pinning her down, Seras' arms were trapped to her side, the shotgun pointing up at both of their faces. Leaning her head back as far as she could, Seras stole her courage and pulled the trigger.

The shell exploded into the silver woman's shoulder, sending her flying backwards. Seras heard the symphony of firearms explode around her as her men shot at her attacker. The blast from the shotgun had singed the skin on her face, likely taking some of her eye-brow with it. Her left eye stung like a bitch, her vision becoming blurry on that side.

She pushed herself up, and re-loaded the weapon as fast as she could. The silver lady had been hit a few times by her team, but they were only glancing blows. She was fast, jumping around the room faster than their human eyes could follow. She was incredibly nimble, despite her injuries, using her large claws to jump up to high points on the columns and ceiling to avoid their fire. She had them on the back-foot now, retreating back to the archway as she attacked them from above.

Acting on instinct Seras took a deep breath and focused. With her powers being suffocated it would take a lot of her energy to move at the speed she needed to keep up with the attacker. One of her men screamed, the silver lady had dislocated his arm completely, and was wrenching at it feverishly, enjoying causing him pain. She wasn't even trying to pull it off fully, she just wanted to cause him pain.

Seras let out a cry, furious to see her men being toyed with. The woman turned to face her, a sickening smile on her face, before ripping the man's arm clean off, using it to beat him down, as well as his comrades who tried to aid him. Seras boiled over with anger, leaping forwards at the sickening looking creature, shotgun extended. She managed to sink one shot into the creatures stomach, before the gun was knocked away by the woman's flailing arms. Seras used the silver woman's confusion to pull her to the ground, using her own talons to gouge at the shotgun wound in the creatures shoulder.

Beneath her the silver woman screamed in pain, and began swatting and kicking at her, dropping the man's arm in the struggle. The pair rolled around on the floor, screaming at each other. Seras was vaguely aware of her men crawling out of the chamber when the wall above her exploded, showering them both with rubble and dust. The explosion knocked her sideways, allowing her opponent to scrabble upwards from her. Seras growled and pushed herself to her knees, throwing herself forwards and snagging the woman's ankle. She Pulled. Hard.

The silver lady tried to catch herself before falling, but her wounded shoulder made her weak, and she cracked her chin on the floor. Seras heard the bone snap, and felt the woman's whole body go rigid in pain. The dust around them dried out the woman's silver skin, making it painfully peel and tear under Seras' grip. It felt scaly and slick between her fingers.

' _What is she, some kind of fish person?'._ Seras wondered, peering closer at the wounds. Unfortunately, her brief victory was interrupted by a second, louder explosion, this one fully destroying the wall above them. Seras let go of the woman, binging her arms down to cover her head, protecting it from the larger pieces of falling debris, feeling the falling stone dust coating her body.

She saw the rock splinter above her, freeing a large, car-sized boulder from the wall. She jumped back to the edge of the pool, desperate to not be crushed. The Silver woman either didn't care, or notice and continued to approach the wall, clearly attempting to go through the hole that had now been crated. Unfortunately for the silver woman, this pre-occupation prevented her from noting that the large boulder had worked free enough to begin fall. Seras watched as began its decent, hovering briefly above the woman's head, before it smacked down on her body, sending fragments of flesh and bone flying through the air.

The silver woman's legs were all that remained of her, now stuck out from the single large boulder, blood slowly pooling around them. It trickled through the other rocks, smelling like ammonia and fish guts. Seras coughed and held back bile at the smell.

After a moment, the dust in the room began to settle, but the sounds of battle still continued. Looking up, Seras saw two silhouetted figures battling on the other side of the ruined wall. One was tall, masculine and oh so familiar, his wild hair flying out around him. The other was an equally tall female, rocky spikes protruding from her spine. She watched the man catch the woman by the throat, empty a full magazine of bullets into her chest before throwing her in Seras' direction. The woman screamed in pain; her voice broken from the crushed trachea. She landed next to the remains of the silver woman, shrieking at the sight of her eviscerated body. The young vampire barely took notice of the woman, she was looking to the man who had thrown her.

He walked forwards, the smoke and dust settling around him. Seras couldn't believe her eyes, she almost cried in relief.

"Master!"


	15. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seras and Alucard are reunited, but the battle is not over and who will be left standing to pick up the pieces? Prepare for some gore as well as some flickers of romance as the battle reaches its peak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I quite liked this chapter, and I really enjoyed the more steamy scenes between Alucard and Seras. I'm a fan of the slow burn and all the pining, which probably explains my love for gothic romance. But worry not, we will get some more racy scenes soon. Next chapter returns to Integra and Alexander, so to all of you who've been missing them, hold on they will be with us soon. See you in the next one, Ciao x.

* * *

Chapter 15 - Reunited

* * *

Alucard looked down, amazed to see his Seras amongst the rubble and dust of the cavern. Her face was scorched on one side and bruises and cuts covered the exposed skin of her arms and around her neck. Even though he could see his fledgling her mind was still barred from his own. For a moment he could hardly believe she was real, nothing more than a hallucination of his desires.

"Master!". Her voice called to him; all other sound in the room melting around it. A bolt of relief shot through him. His Seras was really there, safe and sound before him.

Before Alucard knew it he was by her side, his gloved fingers hovering over her injuries, examining every wound and hair out of place. He mentally swore at every one, cursing whatever creature that dared harm what was his. He gently grasped her shoulders and leant down, licking her wounds clean. His cool breath caressed her marred cheek, his tongue tracing along her neck, caressing the marks left by his fangs all those moons ago . He expected Seras to flinch away from him, but she was motionless, her eyes gleaming into his own.

"Seras…." He whispered, voice low and soft. He felt his chest throb and he longed to embrace her, but was afraid it would cause her further pain. "…My Seras… what have they done to you?". He let his fingers stroke through her hair, the golden strands dirtied with blood and dust. She had clearly seen her fair share of pain this evening.

"Master." Seras' fingers curled under the lapels of her masters jacket. She could sense his shadows curling around her; tending to her wounds, offering soothing caresses in place of the pain. It was familiar gesture and instantly comforting; she could have happily remained like this forever. She smiled, raising her fingers to tenderly grasp his own. "Alucard…" his name passed her lips so sweetly; he could have mistaken it for prayer. She nestled her face into his palm, and he swore when he felt her lips kiss the exposed skin at his wrist.

Alucard leaned into her caress, drunk on the feel of her skin against his. It was chaste and simple, but it sent fire through his veins. A growl escaped his throat and he pulled her closer, his nose brushing against hers. He could feel his shadows writhing about them, uncontrolled and hungry, playing with her own. He was losing control of himself, but he couldn't help himself anymore.

From the moment she had fallen through the ground their connection had been severed, cut away like it had never been there at all. No longer had he felt the soft touch of her mind against his own, the comforting assurance of her presence. He feared she had died, and the loss had pained him like no physical wound ever could.

But even here, with his Seras wrapped in his arms, their mental connection had failed to return. It was like being separated by some impermeable forcefield, hoping she was on the other side, but unable to call out or know if she were still there.

His heart thrummed beneath his chest, and he fought to contain the unspoken emotions that bubbled beneath his skin. He was acting entirely too emotional towards his little fledgling, his mask was slipping, and he knew it. He forced himself to school his features and step away from her.

Seras' mouth opened slightly, confusion and sadness creeping into her features. She could understand why he had to withdraw, even whilst they were in the midst of battle.

As if to prove his concern true, the bronze woman Alucard had thrown aside, shrieked from behind them, drawing both vampires back to reality. He whirled around, glaring down the creature, whilst Seras instinctively fell into a fighting stance. The Hellsing soldiers were no-longer standing, most had left the plush interior of the cavern, the rest were scattered around the room, dead or seriously injured. The bronze woman was crouched over what remained of her silver counterpart, loudly weeping, caressing the eviscerated flesh of the other woman's face.

Alucard pushed Seras behind him, readying himself to attack. Despite his attempts to protect her, he could feel Seras trying to push her way around him. He scowled down at her, feeling his frustration grow at her resistance.

"Police Girl, remain behind me". His order was low and aggressive, forcing her to look him in the eye, glaring, defiance sparking in her beautiful eyes

"I'm not a little girl, Master. I came here to fight, goddamnit let me do it!". She hissed her reply, unwavering in her determination. Pushing around him, she squared her shoulders and blatantly avoided looking at his eyes. She roughly rubbed at the spots on her face where his tongue had healed her, and Alucard couldn't help but feel a stab of betrayal t at the sight. Ungrateful wretch!

Seras took a brief moment to re-load her weapon, her gun cocking loudly in the quiet cavern. He watched as she un-hooked a small, strange shaped bag from around her waist and gently threw it to the side. He was certain she had not arrived with that, and he briefly wondered where she had got it from. But his thoughts were quickly forgotten as he saw her stand taller, levelling her weapon at the creatures face. Before he could stop her, his fledgling pulled the trigger and launched them both back into the throngs of battle, her teeth bared; bloodlust sparking in her irises.

Time moved in slow motion as she let four shells sink into the bronze woman's flesh. The gun was soon empty, and Seras threw it to the ground, launching herself forward, arching through the air, her shadows whipping savagely towards her enemy. He couldn't deny the beauty of her in that moment, covered in blood and fighting for her life against impossible odds. He smirked, realising his idiocy in trying to keep her from combat. This was how she should always be, how he'd always wanted her. Up to her elbows in death and warfare, a Valkyrie in flight. He was a fool for denying her the pleasure of a good hunt.He stood back, letting her take the lead, let her show him how strong she truly was.

The bronze woman, face stained with fresh tears and old blood, met Seras with equal zeal and rage. The bronze woman's face contorted in battle fury, the wounds on her face tore open with the harsh expression. Blood ran in rivulets across her metallic body, and the jagged stony protruded along her spine and shoulders, the skin on her hands tearing as they burst through the tips of her fingers. Alucard had seen her kind before. Morrigans.

The two women met in clash of animalistic snarls, tooth and claw alike ripping flesh from the bone. Seras seemed to have the upper hand at first, managing to straddle the bronze woman, repeatedly bashing her head against the floor. She let out a victorious cry, but it was quickly cut off as the morrigan pierced Seras' side with its claws, burying its hand in deep before snapping a single rib clean off the draculina's spine.

Seras screamed in pan and threw herself off the woman, rolling across the rugs that covered the floor, staining them a deep burgundy as her blood spattered across the floor. She curled into herself making a shill, mewl-like noise as she put pressure on the fresh wound. The bronze woman rose to her feet and cackled, throwing the rib back at Seras, her smile tauntingly cruel.

"Look at you, you stupid girl. You dare to attack me? You are weak!" The morrigan spoke, her voice grating against the vampires' ears like flint on dried bone. "You killed my beloved Nime! You invaded our home, and you killed her! For her murder I shall see you suffer a thousand times over!" She turned to face Alucard, her smile splitting her face. "I cannot kill your precious fledgling, but I will make sure to torture her before giving her over to _him._ I wonder how you will react to seeing your own kindred sold like a piece of meat? _"_

Alucard shuddered, a foreboding sensation creeping along his spine. Something was wrong, but the morrigan was making mind was foggy and unclear, an irritating habit of theirs. He attempted to warn Seras of the danger, but before he could stop her, she surged forwards. Taking advantage of the creatures' distraction, Seras grabbed her own bloodied and butchered rib, and thrust it forwards, burying the jagged end of the bone into her opponents eye. He watched as the eyeball popped, causing the morrigan to screech in pain, writhing as her own eyeball was reduced to liquid slowly trickling down the her cheek.

"Magnificent!" he cackled, pulling his own guns. The Jackal and Casul glimmering in the lamp light. Seras pulled her own rib out from the woman's skull and jumped back, resting before her next strike. The morrigan tried to retreat, crawling up the closest wall, intent on escape, but Alucard shot her down, his tirade of bullets leaving gaping holes across her back as she crashed to the ground. He would pause occasionally, letting Seras tear the woman apart, like the vampire he knew she could be. It would be a slow and messy kill, but that was half the fun of it all.

Seras couldn't deny the bloodcurdling cries gave her an undeniable sense of power. In a heady peak of mania she threw the woman across the chamber by the ankle, her claws ripping bronze flesh from the bone. Blood trickled between her fingers, oddly cold and rancid to her senses. Seras instantly recognised the putrid smell as the same she had tasted in the rats and boggarts in the village. Her eyes widened as she looked over to where the woman had landed.

"You're the one who controlled the boggarts! You stole those children!" She screamed her accusation at the creature, sneering in disgust. The woman glared back, scrambling backwards. Seras wanted to tear the woman's throat open, but she felt the strong hand of her master on her shoulder, holding her in place. His guns had returned to underneath his coat, and all his blood lust seemed to have faded. He was ending the fight. Their opponent was dead, she just didn't know that yet.

Snarling in anger Seras shook off his arm, resisting the urge to kill the bitch that was curled before her.

"And I would do it again! I'd do a thousand times over, if I could. It was only way to get Nime's cure. He would give us the medicine for the children!" The woman choked her retort through blood, pulling her body across the floor. "It made her better, where nothing else would. The children were easy to come by. They were worthless compared to her! But you ruined it! You whore! You murdered her!". The morrigan was crying now, tears staining her cheeks; the last of her energy being used up claw her way back to her lover and grieve.

Her small, bronze hands reached out for what remained of the silver lady, the so-called 'Nime'. The body's silvery skin was dry and peeling, the flesh already rotting and liquifying. The bronze woman tenderly caressed the rotting skin, weeping as it came apart in her hands. Her leg was bleeding profusely. Now that she remained still Seras could see multiple wounds all across her body. She was hurting far more than her previous ferocity had shown. At this rate she'd bleed out in a few minutes.

Seras felt her rage drop away, saddened by the pitiful sight. There would be no honour in killing her like this, she was powerful and deserved to die on honourable terms.

Alucard walked forwards, clearly he'd had his fun and was content to watch her die from the side-lines. He held something in his right hand, Seras almost vomited when she realised what it was. It was what remained of the Silver woman's head. The boulder had severed it just under the chin. He must have picked it up during the fight. The eyes were horrifically wide, its icy white hair was mussed with dirt and blood. The skin along the cheek still held claw marks from where Seras had attacked her.

He tossed the head back to the bronze lady, letting it roll across the floor before it stopped at her feet. She picked it up, caressing what remained of the desiccated features. The fish-like scales came off in her fingers, but she didn't seem to mind. She coddled the head in her arms, and whispered comforting nonsense down at the remains. Alucard nodded, as though this confirmed something.

"You were Morrigans, weren't you?" He asked the bronze lady glared at him, but nodded sadly. Her eyes were becoming glassy, and Seras knew there wouldn't be much time left. She stepped forwards, intent on asking her own questions.

"Why did you steal and kill those children?". She couldn't keep the vitriol from her voice, but the woman seemed too occupied by the severed head to pay her much attention anymore.

"He said it would help her" The bronze lady murmured. "He promised…he said she'd live forever". She began weeping again, swaying slightly. She planted a small kiss on the lips of the head. "She was sick, we didn't know how, he said he would cure her. The children were traded for his medicine, but she always need more…". She looked up, staring Seras right in the eye. "He said that if we wanted a cure we'd have to give him more _."_

"More? More children?" Seras asked. The woman shook her head, a putrid smile spreading across her features.

"No, no more children. He wanted something new. He wanted _you_ "

"Me?" Seras stepped back, caught by the firm hand of her master in the small of her back. She looked up to him, but his gaze was locked onto the creature before them.

"Who is this man? Why does he want my fledgling?". Alucard's voice was laced with an anger that hadn't been there before , possessiveness leaking into every fibre of his being.

"We didn't ask _why",_ the bronze woman practically screamed. "He said that once he got her, he'd give us a permanent cure. We just wanted to be left alone! We have survived together for centuries without conflict. But you vampires! You bring nothing but death in your wake!. The fates have told me the prophecy. Your fledgling bitch deserves what's coming to her!".

"Who is he!? What prophecy!?" Alucard yelled his questions at the woman, stepping forward, as if to hit her. But it was all for nothing. The morrigan's sad smile slackened and her fingers loosened around the head of her beloved Nime. A small laugh bubbled through her blood soaked lips and she quietly gagged on the liquid. Small droplets splattered onto her lovers face. She remained smiling as the light left her eyes her body slumping backwards, crumpling against the dirt and rubble left from the explosion.

As soon as her body crumpled Seras felt the blockade around her mind crumble and shatter. Her Masters thoughts penetrated her mind like a knife. She recoiled away from him, her hands pressing against either side of her head. Alucard, too, seemed to have noticed the change, and flinched at the feeling of his fledgling's mind. Instinctively, her sent out mental branches to reach her, but every time his mind touched hers, she let out a visceral shriek. Despite his longing to connect with her mind, he forced himself to stop.

He watched as Seras' eyes watered, and she curled into herself, hands covering her ears. It seemed, unlike him, more than just her telekinesis had been subdued by the Morrigan's powers. Her vampiric senses were returning to her all at once, like a new-born on its first night. There was a reason the process turned the victim unconscious. It was incredibly painful to realise one's powers all at once.

Alucard stepped towards her, using his own powers to shield her from the harsh smells and auras that surrounded her. Shadows encircled her and Seras calmed slightly, shooting him a small look of gratitude before straightening out to stand. She caught her master's eye and felt her heart thump in her throat. The Morrigan's words echoed inside her mind, sending shivers down her spine and trembles into her limbs.

" _He wanted something new. He wanted you"_

Seras tried to fight the shaking she could feel in her limbs, but it seemed impossible. The wound in her side was heeling, the rib slowly re-growing with her limited energy reserves. The adrenaline in her system was suppressing the pain, but her whole body was quaking from its effects. That, mixed with the fear that some unknown man was searching for her, almost made her bones rattle against each other.

"Seras. Come here." Alucard opened his arms, motioning for her to come forwards.

She gave him an apprehensive look, but walked forwards on shaking legs. Eventually he caught her in a comforting embrace, hands moving upwards to caress her hair and stroke along her spine. Seras suddenly found she was completely unable to support her own weight anymore, and leaned fully against him. The entire weight of her body slumping against him. Her collapse didn't seem to phase Alucard, who barely moved an inch under the addition of her body weight.

When it became clear that Seras' legs had not only lost all use, but were intent on staying that way, Alucard bent slightly and picked her, clean-up, off the ground, cradling her in his arms. The way her small body nestled against his chest reminded them both of that first night together in Cheddar. Master carrying servant. He would carry her anywhere she pleased; they both knew it. He would do whatever she asked, he always had.

Their faces drifted close to each other; gazes locked; neither able to look away. Seras knew they could have stood like that for centuries and they wouldn't have moved. If it wasn't for the sound of her soldiers stirring around them they may well have. Both vampires whipped their necks around to face the humans, regaining what little distance could be managed in their position.

Clearly the men who had retreated had taken the silence as a sign that the battle had ended and had taken it upon themselves to re-enter the chamber. A rather confused group of soldiers walked in, all pausing at the sight of their Captain, wrapped in the arms of one of the deadliest monsters on the planet. It was Private Blake who spoke first.

"Mum? Are you all right?" He stepped closer to the pair, but a sharp look from Alucard stopped him in his tracks.

Seras shifted slightly to give a small thumbs up to her men, an action that gained her a reprimanding growl from her overbearing master.

"Quite all right, boys. Just a little worse for wear after this particular battle" She tried to be cheery, but the pain from her rib was growing to become a distraction, sending rippling spasms up her spine with every word she spoke. "Damage report, stat". Her voice sounded far more commanding than she felt, and the men before her instantly snapped to attention.

"Looks like everyone took a beating mum. Some more than others." There was a brief, and collective, look in her direction before the soldier continued. "We lost a couple of good men tonight…" Blake's voice wavered slightly, as he spoke. He was young, and likely wouldn't have witnessed this much death before. She offered him a sympathetic look and let out a breath.

"Who was it? Can we get them back to base camp, or do we need a clean-up crew?" Seras hated being so dispassionate, but she had seen the Silver woman tear the arm off one of her men, and she doubted any of them could have survived that.

Coleman stepped forward to answer, pushing the younger soldier back towards the rest of the group. "I'm sorry Ma'am. The younger ones aren't used to all this yet." The older man's professional tone gave Seras no uncertain amount of comfort. He also, thankfully, seemed completely unfazed by the embarrassing situation she was currently in. She reckoned that over the years in the Hellsing manor he would have definitely seen worse displays from the vampires, so this was hardly a blip on the radar. "We lost Private Watts and Lance Corporal Newman. Both sustained injuries earlier in the night, and it seems that gave the monsters something to exploit. Both men suffered partial dismemberment and blunt force trauma, but we should be able to get their bodies back before the clean-up crew gets here."

Seras nodded, saddened to know there had indeed been multiple deaths. Absentmindedly she tugged on her masters coat, finding comfort in the softness of the fabric..

"Thank you Sargent. I trust you will take charge of the men and get them back to base camp?"

"Yes ma'am. You're not joining us on the ride back to the cottage?"

"No. We've been down here longer than you think. The sun will rise soon, and I'm too weak to travel in sunlight." Seras looked up, as though the meters of rock and dirt above her had given way, allowing her to see the sky. With her powers returned she knew that sunrise was only minutes away, and without the help of her master, she would be spending the night in this accursed cave system. She shook her head and turned back to Coleman "My master and I will find our own way back. You just focus on getting the men out of here."

Seras felt Alucard's arms tighten around her, and she glared up at him. She was in enough pain without him forgetting his strength. She gently swatted at his chest and mouthed the word _'ow'_ at him. This did have the beneficial effect of him loosening his grip, but also the rather dismaying one where he had now decided to put her down altogether.

He walked the short distance to the pool of water, where he placed Seras down on what must have been one of the few un-tarnished rugs in the whole room. Seras wasn't sure of the point of this as she would likely bleed all over it herself, but she accepted the oddly kind gesture, nonetheless. He shrugged off his large overcoat and offered it to her, watching closely as she tucked tightly around her shoulders.

Alucard then, in a surprising bout of helpfulness, decided to help the remaining soldiers escape the cavern. He gave the Sargent instructions on how to leave the cave through the giant hole he had blown through the wall. Apparently it lead to a steep, but manageable climb out of the tunnel system. Once they were above-ground the troops would radio basecamp, and get picked up within the hour.

Coleman gave a small nod, before barking orders at the men that remained standing and competent. Seras watched them all move like tired ants around the room. Alucard had walked away from her, helping move the heavier equipment with his shadows. He left the bodies of the fallen soldiers for the humans to move. He always avoided touching the bodies of the fallen Hellsing soldiers whenever possible, but Seras was unsure if this was done out of respect or orders from Sir Hellsing.

She saw Hicks and Blake limp past her, each sporting their fair share of war wounds. Both shot her tired but friendly looks as they made their way to the exit Alucard had smashed through the wall, and she could hear them quietly joking amongst each other, staving off the depressing atmosphere that consumed the place. Stevenson even offered her a small charming smile as he walked by, before following the rest of the troops through the exit. She could see Alucard glowering at him from across the room.

"I do not like the way that human looks at you" He muttered down at Seras as he walked back towards her, seemingly done with being helpful. Alucard was unsure if Seras fully understood the reasons some of her human comrades were so friendly to her. He knew of Seras' attractive qualities, and he was certain the humans had noticed too. As if to convince him of her ignorance she gave a playful, small laugh.

"Don't worry about him Alucard. He is bit of a flirt, but he's of no harm to me. Anyways, I've got a punishment set out for him later, he's got a bit too comfortable toeing the line of insubordination. "

Alucard offered no reply, other than evasive grunt. But Seras was in no mood to decode the plethora of noises her master could make, and instead decided to make herself comfortable. She pulled a few of the fluffier, and less bloodied, looking pillows towards herself, and propped herself against them. It was definitely better than laying directly on the hard floor. During all the commotion of everyone leaving, Seras had also managed to scoop up the satchel that contained Delma, and had the skull cradled in her lap.

Eventually her men had all managed to leave through the exit, taking their two fallen comrades with them. She was thankful Alucard had decided to give her the coat. As soon as the last morrigan had died, the lamps and fires around the room had slowly begun burning out, making the chamber awfully cold without them.

Delma didn't seem to have sustained any damage from Seras' poor handling in the battle, but she had felt badly all the same.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked the skull, gently rubbing a smudge of dirt off the temple area.

"Oh yes dearie. I've survived many battles before, and even a few wars. Don't you worry about me. It'll take a lot more than a small throw to harm me". Delma's voice rang with its normal cheeriness and her eyes were glowing the same lilac they always seemed to. Seras shrugged and accepted the assurances. She was just about to doze off on the plush pillows when she felt something tap the side of her boot.

She instantly shot awake, fangs extended, worried another creature had come to attack her. To her relief it was her master, peering down at her, with the most peculiar look on his face.

"My dear little fledgling, what on earth do you have there?" He tilted his chin towards Delma, a smirk playing along his lips. His voice seemed more amused than anything, so Seras assumed he knew perfectly well what Delma was, and was simply teasing her. His glasses and hat still remained on, and although he'd bent down to her level he gave no indication he was about to get comfortable. It was strange to see him without the customary overcoat, but Seras was not about to give up her only protection against the cold. He was older and could probably bear it better. It was worth being selfish sometimes.

"Oh this? It… _she-_ is Delma. She's a talking skull! She helped me get out of the lower cave system. And helped me find my troop!" She smiled, blinking up at her master, feeling much like a child asking to keep a stray cat it had found in the street. "She's very nice".

"Hmmmm. I'm certain that she is." Alucard didn't sound convinced by her statement. He crouched down further, sitting on the floor beside her, lounging on the remaining pillows as casually as if he owned the place. Without asking, he picked Delma up from where she had been sitting in Seras' lap, turning the skull from one hand to the other.

"I prefer not to be manhandled" Delma protested to the disorienting treatment.

Alucard snorted impolitely. "I do not care. I will not have something malevolent take advantage of my fledgling." He stoked one slender finger along the smooth forehead of the skull. The small runes carved on the surface didn't react to the caress.

"I am not _malevolent_ , you age'd buffoon!" Delma seemed to have lost all patience with Seras' master, opting for outright insults in place of usual patient tone. Alucard merely laughed, clearly unphased, and continued his monologue.

"My Seras can be awfully naïve, as I'm _sure_ you noticed." He shot Seras a look that was stuck somewhere between amusement and derrision. His glasses slipped down his nose and his eyes caught her own. He lazily let them scan over her, never stopping in once place too long. Seras tried to keep her own eyes on his face and her pulse level, but it seemed neither wanted to cooperate with her. Her gaze wandered to the bare skin of his neck and broad shoulders and her pulse beat hard and heavy through her veins. Her breathing taught as he scanned over her body.

Before she could completely melt into her master's observations, Alucard turned back to the skull and resumed the conversation. The moment passed by like it had never happened at all, save for Seras' slightly laboured breathing.

"I've head of your kind, but I am surprised to find you all the way down here.". Alucard almost sounded interested in the creature he held before him.

"Well it was hardly my fault! I was held captive! And I am not any ' _kind',_ not like you are. I am human, my soul just hasn't moved on like it normally does. There are more like me, if that is what you are suggesting, but I have never met one. We are too uncommon for that.

"There are others like Delma?". Seras sat up slightly, her previous line of thought was abandoned in the quest to know more.

"Of course, Seras." Delma's eyes rolled around to look at the draculina. "Although I am surprised your master did not educate you on this already. Vampires are normally so nosy about these sorts of things". If it was possible for a skull to give an eye-roll, Seras was certain Delma was attempting it. The lilac flames flickered slightly in her eye sockets, arching in a semi-circle

"How and what I teach my fledgling is none of your business skull!" Alucard snarled the words, clearly on the defensive. Seras let out a quiet huff and shook her head. She was the last person to defend her master's so-called teaching abilities. Sometimes she wondered if he was deliberately keeping her ignorant sometimes.

Not wanting to be discouraged by Alucard's usual caginess and inability to socialise, Seras pressed on with more of ger own questions.

"So how are chattering skulls made then?" She looked to both her companions imploringly, hoping one might take the bait and actually educate her for once. Alucard sighed, but seemed to accept her question, dropping the aggressive attitude as quickly as he picked it up.

"Your dear skull here is, what is officially known as, a 'chattering skull'. A curious creature, only really found in Britain. It is rumoured that many millennia ago, certain individuals were born with the ability to have prophetic visions. These prophets were highly sought after by kings and warlords alike, often kidnapped at a young age and forced to become oracles and seers for different leaders. As it always is, over time, these seers began to die out. Facing the panic of fighting their battles like real men, rulers found ways to preserve their prophets far beyond their natural life span, even into death. Thus the chattering skulls were created, but at a heavy price. All the kingdoms who had once boasted their powerful seers, quickly disappeared from history. War, famine and pestilence rolled across their lands, wiping the people from existence. The talking bones of the seers were all that remained. Some say the skills prophecies were cursed. Others say the old kings payed the price for trying to change the fates designs. Either way many skulls were destroyed or hidden, deemed too dangerous to use."

A whimsical smile played across his features, highlighting the handsome contours of his face. "I once sought one such skull, back when I ruled Wallachia. I had received rumours of one surviving in Britain, but my men could never retrieve it. Even when I came to London all those years ago, I could find no trace of it." He shot Seras a smile with far too many teeth, fangs shining even in the dim light. She felt a shiver roll over her body and fought to keep still. "But here, my dearest fledgling just falls onto of one, entirely by accident. I wonder what the chances of that are?".

There was a brief silence as Seras wondered if Delma was truly cursed. She desperately wanted to ask more questions, to understand more about the history, but she could tell her master probably wouldn't be much more forthcoming. Instead, she asked a question no one seemed to expect.

"Delma? Now that your masters are dead, what are you going to do? Where are you going to go?"

The skull seemed to consider her words, tilting slightly from where she sat in Alucard's palm.

"You know, I am not entirely sure. I honestly didn't think I'd get this far" The burning flames in Delma's sockets rolled between the two vampires. "I suppose I could come with you two?", her voice betraying a hopeful quiver in the request.

"Yes!" Seras instantly replied, cutting off her master before he could protest to the idea. He glared at her, but she refused to give into him. She pulled the skull from his grasp, cradling in her own arms. "You can of course stay with us. Or me at the very least. So long as you promise not to curse me that is".

"Oh that's just a silly old ghost story. My prophecies don't cause people to die. People make up anything when they're scared"

"Oh right, well, that's good". Seras gave a small smile and put Delma back into the side satchel. Alucard remained unusually quiet, seemingly indifferent to her decision. "I'll let Integra know, as soon possible". She announced, as though anyone had asked.

"If you're taking that thing back with us, then you shall leave it upstairs. I do not want near me when I sleep". Alucard grumbled/

"But-"

"No allowances Seras. Until I can trust it, it stays where it can be monitored. Am I clear?". Despite his more commanding words, his shoulders were not as rigid as they should have been, and the edges of his eyes were showing signs of strain. Seras knew the signs, clear as moonlight. Her master was getting tired.

She wasn't entirely surprised, having almost nodded off herself. By this point in the day, the sun would be fully out, and the soldiers would have all returned to basecamp. It was about time they returned to the cottage basement.

Pushing herself up, Seras pulled her masters coat tighter around her shoulders before turning to face him again.

"Master, it is late in the morning, I think we should head back and get some rest." She looked at him, holding out a single hand. Her skin was covered in grime and blood, and she knew she needed a good bath. Perhaps one of the cottages would still have running water? She hoped so.

Alucard sighed and gently caressed her hand into his own. Even in her fatigued state, the touch sent bolts of unwelcome excitement through her bones, pooling in her chest and ears. He pulled himself to his feet, and flicked some imaginary lint off his shoulder. Seras put it down to an old habit, as he seemed perfectly spotless to her eyes.

"I'll teleport us both to the cottage basement," He said gruffly. "but you put that skull outside, or I put you both out" His words sounded unkind, but the playful edge let her know that, if she wanted, he'd let her have her way. Either way, she still planned to leave Delma in the care of her men. Despite everything, there was just something instinctively uncomfortable with the idea of Delma being there whilst she slept. Seras wondered if it was a side effect of being a vampire, or just feeling vulnerable during the daylight hours.

She shrugged the feeling off, and stepped forwards, nestling into her masters chest. She knew the teleportation would be quick, he never liked to dawdle during daylight hours, but she still wanted to be in close proximity. The last shadow jump had left her more than a little queasy, and she was in no mood to lose any more blood after the horrendous evening she had just had.

The last thing she felt was the small rumble of her masters laugh against her torso, before his shadows pooled around them and surrounded them in darkness. There was a brief surge in energy, and the darkness dissipated, leaving the cavern empty once again, save for the bodies of the creatures it had once called mistresses.


	16. A Succubus At The Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anderson, Integra, and her two bodyguards go to a bar in search of a vicious killer, believed to be a succubus. But conflict within the team will cause issues and the influence of their surroundings is not like anyone expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the gods this was a long one. i'm still not 100% happy with it, the pacing is a bitt spotty for my tastes, and there is some OOC moments that Im not happy with but I am sick of staring at this and I want it gone! I'm thinking of getting a beta, but were quite far through all-ready, and the chapters are getting longer and longer, so I'm not sure anyone would actually want to edit this. Do people still beta? IDK, I'm old, it's no longer 2012. Anyways for now, I'll happily take on any constructive criticisms you guys have. I'm not above re-editing this chapter at some point in the future, but not until at least the new year. It hurts my brain, I say! It hurts!
> 
> The next chapter will remain with Integra and Anderson. I quite like them, there is so much angst and conflicted feelings. They are also more grown up, as a couple, probably because they deal with greater limitations and more adult conflicts than Alucard and Seras. Hope you guys are enjoying them too. Thank you all so much for your continued support with this. Honestly it's gone so much better than I thought it would, and my writing is one of my few hobbies I can still maintain. I'll see you all in the next one, Ciao xx

* * *

**Chapter 16 - Succubus At The Bar**

* * *

Integra watched the city through the backseat window, the lights of buildings blurring together as the taxi drove through the streets. They had been caught in traffic most of the drive, and in the mass of cars and evening confusion she had long since lost track of the car Anderson was in.

Vargas sat beside her in the backseat, flipping between watching her, the driver and the world outside the car. Both of them had attempted idle chit-chat throughout the journey, but it had quickly fettered out. Vargas wasn't a particularly unpleasant, or even boring man, but the inability to talk about their real line of work, due to the presence of the civilian, left them both with surprisingly little to say.

She was grateful when the car finally stopped, and Vargas began to get out. They were still a few blocks away from their destination, but they had to stagger their arrivals, or any possible targets might get suspicious. Both her bodyguards had protested to her being without guard, but she had adamantly brushed their fears aside. She had been fully trained to defend herself, and she refused to be coddled just because she was a woman. It wasn't like she were unarmed either, with her silver blade in her clutch bag and a small pistol strapped to her thigh, she felt suitably armed for the evening.

Vargas took his time leaving, and through his open door Integra got a good view of the street behind him. There seemed to be more people out than she expected. The cold and damp weather didn't seem to bother the denizens of the city, most of whom seemed to be out enjoying the evening, regardless of the endless rain and bitter winds.

Before she could see anything else, Vargas finally left, shutting the door with just a little too much force. He stood back on the pavement, huddling under an umbrella, watching her as the taxi drove away again. She sympathised with his foul mood, the weather had been far worse than any of them had expected and he was the one forced to walk in it.

Integra arrived at her destination within a few minutes, paying the driver before alighting from the cab. She had no wish to stand in the rain any longer than was strictly necessary and, without an umbrella, she was forced to jog to the restaurant's entrance in her less than stable heels and her blazer held over her head.

Once through the doors Integra was greeted by a small reception-type area, with a small welcome desk sat perfectly in the middle. A polite looking woman sat behind the desk, wearing a pastel pink suit and a comforting sort of smile.

"Good evening madam, welcome to the Swirling Sage . Do you have a reservation for tonight's event, or are you here for the bar?" The woman's accent was definitely local, the Irish timbre instantly recognisable. Her smiled carried the practiced professionalism Integra had seen many times before and the familiarity of the gesture made her feel more at ease.

"I'm here for the…um…for the speed dating event". Integra fought to keep an embarrassed flush from her cheeks.

"Very good madam, do you have your invitation?" The woman held out her perfectly manicured hand and Integra stepped forward, handing the woman a slip of glossy paper. Integra had no idea exactly how her men had managed to get the tickets on such short notice, but she knew some questions were better not asked. Her current theory was that they were stolen or forged

The host took the paper, tearing the edge before dropping into a small bin. The woman began tapping rapidly away at a small tablet screen that sat in front of her. Integra watched as the woman's brow furrowed; her tapping becoming rapid and sharp.

' _Oh god'._ Integra thought, ' _I'm going to have to have to convince her to let me in, aren't I?'_

Behind her, two pairs of couples walked in, laughing loudly at chit-chatting amongst themselves. Irritatingly they didn't seem to need to be checked in, clumsily depositing their coats in the cloakroom, before sauntering off to the bar. The host only gave them a partial glance over before returning her attention to the screen.

Eventually the woman looked up apologetically. "So sorry about the wait madam, our booking system seemed to have trouble finding you, but I got there eventually!". She gave a small awkward laugh, and stood up from her position behind the desk. "If you would like to follow me, I can take your coat and lead you through." Integra handed her the oversized blazer, a cool breeze slithered across her newly exposed shoulders.

"Has this bar hosted this event before?". Integra asked, attempting to school her nerves through casual investigation.

"Hmmm? Oh no. it's a relatively new one, but we're happy they chose us, hopefully we'll host more of their event's in the future."

"Oh?". Integra felt alarm bells begin to ring in the back of her mind. "What makes them so good of a company? ".

"Oh, well.." The hostess looked back at her, a strange look interrupting her pretty features. "...we have compatible consumer goals; I suppose you could say.". She gave another smile, but something about it seemed unsettling, like her face were already tired of holding the position. Before Integra could decode its meaning, the woman turned and began leading her through the venue, her nude heels clicking rhythmically across the marble floor.

The venue was far larger than Integra had expected, decorated with a blend of Victorian and modern styles. The only other doors in the room lead to the bathrooms, a staff area, and an area labelled only as 'beer garden'. Integra doubted many would be out there this evening, on account of the terrible weather and the fact it was tucked away in such a dark spot of the room. The dating event seemed based in the restaurant, at the back of the venue, with the bar remaining open to the general public.

The bar seemed fairly busy, already half-full of people half-way drunk. She recognised the group who had entered after her, but they had dispersed amongst a larger collection of strangers. Anderson was sat in a small booth a few feet away from them, his left eye twitching whenever one of the women shrieked with laughter. Apparently he was enjoying their company even less than she had. Integra smiled at his discomfort, before following after the host.

"It's more open than I thought it would be" Integra said to the woman, not entirely interested in her response.

"Yes, I believe that was the intention. To encourage wider socialisation." The woman's voice remained perfectly cheerful.

"Or to make it difficult to notice someone disappearing" Integra muttered to herself. If the woman heard her she showed no indication of it.

Eventually they came to a halt at the edge of the dining area, and Integra realised that it was finally time to put her undercover identity to the test.

"As a member of the event, all your drinks are pre-paid for, just ask anyone of the staff and they should be able to fetch it for you.". The hostess gestured to a series of individuals around the room, clustered in groups of two or three, all wearing varying pastel coloured suits. One walked over, a pretty round faced woman, and asked for her order.

"Scotch whiskey, on the rocks, please". Integra was a little disturbed by the unsettlingly perfect smile she wore, but she seemed otherwise harmless. She watched as the woman skittered away towards the bar, gliding effortlessly between groups. The host melted back into the crowd, likely returning to her desk, leaving Integra alone in the event.

Knowing there was no turning back, Integra bolstered her nerves and made her way towards a group of women, who seemed friendly enough. The tallest one noticed her approach first, and smiled widely, opening her arms in an exuberant greeting. The odd behaviour caused the rest of the women to turn, greeting Integra with an array of questioning looks.

"Welcome darling!" The first woman spoke, her voice a melodious trill. "My, my, aren't you stunning? Isn't she simply divine ladies?" The surrounding women opened their circle, only to close it around her once Integra got close enough. Some remained silent, eyes scanning over her like fresh meat. Others gave positive comments, with a series of compliments occasionally making their way through. The first woman seemed not to notice, stepping forward and clasping one of Integra's hands.

"I'm Miriam, it's wonderful to meet you!". Integra smiled at the enthusiastic woman, trying not to flinch in her grasp. Miriam's hands were cold; her long fingers covered in rings and tipped with long false nails. She was slightly older than Integra, somewhere in her mid-forties by the looks of it, and was exquisitely dressed. Next to her, Integra felt a little plain. Before she had the chance speak, Miriam spoke again, introducing a few of the other women.

"This here is Alice and Jessica, they are certified regulars at these events, looking for throw away boy toys, aren't you? You naughty things!" Miriam playfully swatted the air; the women responding with girlish laughter and jovial waves. Miriam continued to introduce more of the women, their names quickly becoming a blur in Integra's mind. At some point the hostess arrived with the drinks, passing them out amongst the guests. Eventually, after what seemed like an hour of nicknames and teasing jokes, all introductions seemed to have been made.

"Oh, silly me!" Miriam sang, her voice reaching the octaves of operetta. "I never caught your name!"

"I'm Integra." She smiled, giving a polite wave to the members of the small gathering. Despite herself she was nervous.

One of the older women noticed and attempted to comfort her. "Now don't be worried, you're not the only newbie here, these new companies always attract fresh meat.", she laughed gently, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "There's even a few new faces on the boys team too". She casually pointed to a few faces on the other side of the room, one Integra instantly recognised as her bodyguard Richard. He smiled at her, and Integra felt a little relief wash over her.

"Well that is comforting to know", Integra replied, trying to keep her voice friendly and her features neutral.

The group continued to converse as new attendees trickled in, their names and faces being added to Integra's internal catalogue. Everyone was dressed to the nines, or something akin to it, and Integra was grateful her dress had been appropriate. From the small amounts of gossip she had picked up, none of the regulars had gone missing, or were acting strange, leading her to assume their would-be succubus was probably a newer member.

Richard had identified a handful of male suspects, and she had pointed out a couple women and a single man who seemed to be acting strange. Anderson and Vargas seemed busy, although she wasn't exactly sure if either one had solid suspects of their own. Most of Anderson's time seemed to be spent fighting off overly drunk women who decided to sit with him. The pastel-garbed staff were scattered throughout the entire venue, and Integra noticed that not one of them was un-attractive. Their faces always remained perfectly friendly and somewhat charming.

Integra made a turnabout the room, and Richard made his way over to follow her, meeting her nonchalantly at a side table full of canapés. Integra selected a delicious looking chocolate and strawberry concoction and glanced over to her bodyguard.

"Anything new?" he murmured, taking a sip of his drink.

"Maybe." She replied, surprised by the delicate flavours of the food. "What do you think of these organisers? They seem too perfect to me; it almost seems like an act". The pair of them glanced over to the familiar face of the hostess, who was still handing out free drinks like they were going out of style.

"I dunno Sir, could just be their customer service faces".

Integra was about to ask what the hell he meant, when she was interrupted by the sound of a small bell ringing. They, along with most others, turned to see a handsome young man, dressed in a perfectly pressed lilac suit, holding a miniature bronze bell in his left hand. His curly brown hair complemented his eyes quite expertly. Integra heard more than one woman, and even a few men, sigh longingly.

"Oh, isn't he a dish?". Miriam let out a small moan, from beside her causing Integra to jump. She hadn't heard the older woman creep up on her. She gave Miriam a suspicious side glance wondering how the woman had managed it.

The young man opened his mouth, and a charming voice greeted them all to the event. Integra took the chance to watch two of the suspicious women, whilst everyone was distracted by the handsome man explaining the rules of the night. She watched as the first one separated from the crowd, trailing after one of the men. The other one remained still, concentrating on the organiser.

Before Integra could follow after the strange woman, the bell rang again, and Miriam looped her arm in her own and dragged her in the opposite direction.

"Come dear, you can sit on the table near to mine. You won't feel lonely that way!". Integra tried to protest, but the older woman pushed her into a chair and pressed a fresh glass of whiskey into her hand. "There, you're all set!"

"Uhhh-".

"Hush hush. Now if you need me I'll be just over there! Enjoy yourself darling, I saw you eyeing up that sharp looking one by the entrées. I say go for it!" The older woman gave a cheeky wink, before bustling off and sitting at a table a few rows away. Integra felt completely unprepared as the bell rang again and a group of men advanced towards her table.

An older gentleman reached her table first, cutting ahead of a few others. He was boorish and clearly throwing is wealth around, but she was polite enough. After him a few others came up to the table, and Integra was almost flattered by their eagerness. She certainly hadn't been experiencing this sort of luck in her real love-life.

The bell rang again, and people shuffled between tables. Integra took the brief moment of solidarity to look over the room. She'd lost sight of her bodyguards at some point between the bottomless drinks and numerous faces. She could, however, still see Anderson reclining in a booth, a beautiful and flirtatious woman hanging off his arm. The sight brought forth a wave of disgust and anger in Integra, her jaw clenching against the desire to yell across the room.

"What on Earth is he playing at? He's supposed to be investigating, not socialising!". She failed to keep the anger out of the words she spoke to herself. She scowled at the man, taking a deep swig of her latest scotch. In all the years they'd known each other, she'd never seen him act like that around a woman. The best manners he'd ever shown her was likely that morning, and even then he'd spent half the time insulting her.

Integra rolled her eyes as Anderson leaned in and whispered something into the young woman's ear, causing a spasm of giggles and gossip to erupt from the lady in question. Feeling thoroughly nauseated, Integra turned away and gazed at her open palm where it rested on the table. She wondered if this sudden outburst of charm was a hidden quality of Andersons, or simply a skill developed through his extensive training. She pushed the thought aside; realising the danger of such trains of thought.

"Of course he possesses the ability to flirt with other women, Integra" she quietly chastised herself, closing her fingers into a tight fist, her nails biting into the skin of her palm. "You know all too well he has no other option but to show you distain. Neither of us can risk anything beyond what we already have". She frowned, her mind playing back the many, confusing interactions she'd had with Alexander. One moment he was cruel, distant and flippant; the next he was quiet, kind; almost tender. Her spine tingled as she recalled the warmth of his hands against her skin, and she fought to contain the proceeding shiver that coated her body.

"Oh dear, that frown doesn't look good, I hope I'm not catching you at a bad moment.". A kind voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her to look up sharply. A tall, fairly handsome man stood before her table, wearing a genuinely warm, if a little buffoonish smile. "May I sit?" he asked, motioning to the chair.

"Oh y-yes. Yes o-of course." Integra actually stammered, and she felt herself flush a little. She was so focused on Anderson that hadn't even seen him come up to the table. Now she had been caught with her guard down. That was the second time tonight, amateur mistake.

"Thank you. Secretly I've been wanting to talk to you all night" He sat down jerkily, an awkward smile on his face. "I hope you don't mind me saying that, I'm Nicholas, by the way"

"Oh no. My name's Integra, a pleasure to meet you, Nicholas" Integra tucked errant strands of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Her voice came out breathy and slightly laboured, an effect she blamed entirely on the alcohol and not on the lingering thoughts of the priest. She flicked her gaze to the man in question, but he seemed to be deliberately ignoring her, concentrating entirely on his female companion.

Letting out an irritated huff Integra turned back to Nicholas. The man was kind and had a gentle manner of speaking. He was sweet and not, at all, anything like a succubus. This evening was turning out to be a bust. She had been here for whet felt like hours and all their leads and turned out to be dead ends. Perhaps Anderson was right, and she had been barking up the wrong tree after all.

Nicholas continued to talk, and Integra couldn't help but feel pulled into the conversation. With every passing moment, she began to notice the attractive qualities in the man before her. His accent was smooth, his vocabulary exciting and scholarly. His shoulders were broad and well built; his suit exquisitely cut. Her thoughts of Anderson were rapidly replaced with images of Nicholas, his hands in her hair, her own moved down his- .

Movement from the corner of her eye caught Integra's attention; her train of thought pulled to an achingly sharp halt. Her mind cleared, and she was greeted with the horrific sight of Anderson's eyes glaring at her, his gaze burning where it touched her skin. She frowned deeply at him, confused at how she had earnt his ire this time. Despite being half a room away, Integra could almost taste his holier-than-thou attitude.

' _Oh, so now I'm the one getting disapproving looks, despite the fact that he's been flirting all night with that woman?'_

Looking across the bar, she spied Richard and Vargas, mingling amongst the crowd; neither one looking like they had a promising lead. Having absolutely no progress herself, Integra was sympathetic to their efforts. She knew they'd have to re-group if anything was going to change. The recognisable burning of Andersons gaze passed over her skin, and she glowered at the damned Scotsman. She'd have to deal with _him_ first.

She regretfully wound down the conversation with Nicholas, making her apologies and excuses before heading over to the bar. She shot him a regretful look over her shoulder, but his face was quickly lost in the mass of people.

Integra's goal had been to find her way to Anderson in the most covert, yet efficient, manner, but the task proved to be far more difficult than she had estimated. Tall men blocked her view, and large groups of women always manage to stand right in her way. After about five minutes of struggle and getting exactly nowhere, she felt a cool hand slip around her wrist and pull her forwards into a tightly packed circle. Looking up she saw a familiar face.

"Miriam?" she asked, relief flooding her system. She had no idea when the older woman had escaped the event into the bar, but she was pleased to see someone she knew.

"Why yes dear! I see you've come to join us bad girls over by the bar have you?" The older woman's eyes were glinting, and her cheeks had a gentle flush. Clearly she'd been enjoying the free drinks a little too much. The women around her seemed in similar, if not worse, states of intoxication; a constant giggle saturated the air around them.

"Oh, well I was just after a drink.". Integra had hoped the women would let her go at the excuse, but to her dismay the gaggle of women suddenly descended, trapping her in conversation.

"Found someone you like yet?" One of the more enthusiastic ladies stepped forward, a manicured hand resting on Integra's shoulder.

"Oh I bet she has," another cut in "she's had so many coming after her, I bet the poor dear could barely choose!"

"Oh yes, ever so popular is my girl" Miriam crowed, as though she were Integra's proud mother and not a perfect stranger. "I was sat just a few tables down; men came over to her all night! She's practically beating them away with a stick!"

"Oh of course she is, plenty of youth and good looks with _our dear_ Elektra", said the first, her drink sloshing precariously in its glass.

"It's Integra, actually" the noblewoman corrected

"Oh, but you've been talking to that handsome one a while, haven't you dear?" The woman continued as though she hadn't been corrected at all "What was wrong with him? Or are we trying our hand at playing the field?"

Integra stammered to answer, looking to Miriam for support. She truly was unequipped to handle such an onslaught.

"Oh leave her be ladies. We forget we have a little newbie in our community! Let's not bombard her with all these silly question. Let's help her, no?". The women all nodded with enthusiasm, each stepping closer to pour their attention on their unwilling captive.

Integra was halfway into fighting off an older woman who was trying to set her up with her son, when a surly Scottish voice cut through the gossiping throng of women.

"If you could excuse me ladies, I'm sorry to break up this lovely little group, but I was wondering if I could talk to this lady here?". The group all turned to face the intruder, their postures straightening; their eyes sharp. Some hung close to integra, protectively standing between her and Anderson. She couldn't deny she was impressed by the fluidity of it all, clearly they had practiced the manoeuvre.

"Who are you?" The suddenly sober sounding voice of Miriam cut through the girlish chatter like a knife, her icy tone rivalling an experienced general. Despite herself, Integra was flattered that the woman would act so protectively.

"It's all right Miriam, I know him." Integra smiled, placing a hand on the older woman's arm. We are old…friends" she smiled around the word; it felt strange to refer to Anderson in such a mundane context. Miriam gave her sceptical side eye, but nodded in quiet acceptance, her lips pressed together.

"Very well my dear. We'll be right here if you need us". Her smile was friendly enough, but her eyes spoke to an intent Integra couldn't quite understand. Miriam gave her hand a brief, but firm squeeze, before dropping it and turning to the other women. The group floated away, but Integra knew they would be keeping an eye on her.

Integra glared up at the damned Scotsman, her lips pursing against the many supressed insults.

"What do you want?"

"Oh and here I was thinkin' you were in need of rescuing. Saw your panicked look from all the way across the room.". He gave her a cruel leer, and it took all her self-control not to slap him.

"Oh well I'm glad you found the time to remember me. You seemed otherwise occupied to me".

"Tha's rich, comin' from you. Have ye actually done any investigating or were you's just spending your time trying to find a husband?" Anderson's accent became more pronounced as his ire was sparked. This damned woman always got under his skin so easily.

Integra turned on her heel and began marching towards the bar. She refused to have such a ridiculous conversation this sober. To her irritation Anderson followed, keeping in step with her, his glare burning holes in the back of her head.

Before she could actually reach her destination, however, Anderson caught her arm and pulled her aside. The grip wasn't painful, and she had been expecting it, but she still wasn't happy. He guided them over to his old booth, a smaller darker spot of the bar, that had a surprisingly good view of the room. She jerked out of his grip, slapping the offending hand away.

"Asshole" She spat, before sitting down at the booth table. To her surprise Anderson chose to sit next to her, rather than across, blocking her view of the room with his ridiculously large frame. She shuffled along, trying to make herself comfortable. "What do you want?", she asked attempting to ignore where her body was pressed against his.

" I needed to know why you are were over here all of a sudden. Possible boyfriends not exciting enough for ya?". Anderson's voice held an undeniable flicker of irritation that caused her to scowl. She could feel his eyes boring into the side of her head, causing irritation to bubble under her skin.

"Oh pack it in Alexander, like _you've_ not been entertaining yourself!". Integra looked the crowd trying to find the woman Anderson had been talking to, but he shifted again, blocking her view. Her glare deepened.

"What the hell's tha' supposed to mean Integra?". He grumbled. "Will you look at me- w-what the hell has got your damned attention this time you devil-woman?".

"My attention!?" her head snapped around to him, neck cracking from the movement, her voice straining around her words. She couldn't understand how this man got under her skin so easily. "What about your attention? Did you actually get any intelligence or were you content with flirting all evening?". She shifted in her seat and leant into his space, prodding him in the sternum. "I saw you flirting with that woman."

Anderson rolled his eyes, casually catching both of her hands in one of his own. His skin was warm, and sent rippling sparks down her arm.

"Are you going to stop prodding me, like some sort of demented cat?" He asked, his voice surprisingly calm. Integra didn't respond, her glare becoming darker and a wicked smile along her face. When she didn't answer, he squeezed her hand tighter. "Integra?"

"You couldn't make me if you tried" she flexed her hand, digging her nails into the soft of his palm. He inched closer. Integra's wicked grin was reflected in the lenses of his glasses, with Anderson's emerald eyes gleaming behind them.

He was close enough that smell the faint aroma of incense and petrichor on his skin and feel his heart beath pulse through his fingers.

"I'll let you go if you promise not to do it again", he continued, a devilish grin working its way across his face. The smile sent sparks rushing through her and she leaned closer, using his hold to pull him closer, whispering in his ear. One of his hands released, dropping to rest gently at her waist instead.

"I won't make a promise I don't intend to keep Alexander." She felt his shoulders stiffen, and a small choking noise come from his throat. His grip around her wrists slackened, and she slowly prised her hands free. Unwilling to let her advantage over the man go, she slowly pulled back to face him, her hands moving upwards to encircle his neck. She let her fingers trail along the collar of his shirt, offering him a playful smile. She knew she should be pulling back, but the intoxicating smell of spices on his clothes, and the growing heat of the room beckoned her closer to him.

"I-Integra?" His voice was a little strained, and where he once looked amused, now he simply looked confused and concerned. His hands came back up, gently grasping her own again to pull them away. "Something's wrong with you".

The priest's brows furrowed as he looked down at the woman before him. She was radiantly beautiful, her eyes bewitchingly peering up at his own. She fluttered her long lashes, seemingly innocent to her own actions. But even as he held her hands, he knew something was terribly wrong.

Since the moment he'd stepped foot in this place, he'd known there was something magical, something unclean in the air. He was loath to admit the damned Hellsing woman was right, but he couldn't deny the evidence around him.

His skin was crawling the same way it did whenever he was in the presence of ungodly creatures, and the foul black magic they were so fond of. It hung in the air like a bad smell, so thick he could hardly tell who was mortal and who might not be. He was certain the woman he'd been talking to had been the succubus, but when he touched her, she was nothing but human. He'd had to force her away after that, only to endure endless scowls from integra. All whilst she sat their flirting with endless numbers of men, seemingly more interested in finding a possible husband than a murderer. Seeing her now, he understood why. She had been bewitched, or something close to it.

Integra shifted out of his hold again, letting out a breathy sigh, growing tired of whatever game she had been playing. She waved down a passing waiter, ordering two more dinks before sinking back into the booth settee. Now she was no longer pressed against him, Anderson felt a sudden chill, a phenomena he hadn't experienced for many years. She gave him a condescending side glance, drumming her nails on the table.

"I don't see why we're still here," she said casually, as though she hadn't just thrown herself at him. "this evenings clearly been a bust."

"Something's wrong Integra. With this place. With you. I don't like it" He replied gruffly, watching as her fingers danced along the tabletop.

"Oh nonsense. You are simply imagining things. None of us have found anything suspicious, well nothing beyond the mundane creeps and shady business. Accept it. You were right, for once" She frowned to herself, surprised such a sentence could ever left her mouth.

The waiter returned, placing the two drinks on the table before whizzing away, faster than he arrived.

"We didn't even pay?" Anderson said, looking at the retreating man's back questioningly.

"All guests of the event get free drinks." Integra replied, her tone bored and a little angsty. She took a deep swig, the amber rolling over her lips. "Perhaps because I ordered they are both free"

"Well that's a benefit, at least. You have expensive tastes; I couldn't afford to pay for this".

"Only the best." She said, cheers-ing the air. "Although I could have paid for it, if necessary. I could even send you a bottle, in Italy, once this evening is finally over with" She gave a him a small grin, swirling her glass, the ice clinking off its sides.

"No point. Can't drink in the orphanage". He glanced down at his own whiskey, and back at hers. He could swear there was some difference between them, but he couldn't what exactly.

"That's a shame." Integra muttered; almost looking a little sad. "If I ever get a chance, I'll buy you couple drinks sometime. Maybe sneak past the nuns or something…" Anderson made a vaguely agreeable nose but said nothing to interrupt her rambling. He took a brief sniff of his drink, and the hairs on the back of his arm stood up on end. Something was definitely wrong here.

Just as she was about to take another swig, he placed his hand over the glass, causing her lips to brush his knuckles "Let me see your drink" he said, taking it from her hand and ignoring the smudge of lipstick on his skin.

"Hey, I want that back!", she made a feeble grab for it, but he easily pushed her back. She huffed, but stayed put, pouting slightly.

Anderson ignored her and peered at the drinks closely. "Do these look different to you?" He asked, holding the glasses up to the light. She leaned in close and he was forced to hold his breath, as her perfume filled his senses.

"Huh, yeah," She said. "Mine looks almost sparkly. What is that? Edible glitter?"

"Maybe, but you ordered two of the same drink there shouldn't be any difference" Anderson swirled each liquid, sniffing each one in turn. Integra leaned over and copied him, clearly unaware of his personal space.

"They smell different too!" she said, sounding like an excited child. Her head tilted to the side, slightly, face set in a considerate frown. "They came from two different bottles, too…"

Anderson frowned. "How do you know tha'?"

"I watched them make the drinks." She shrugged when he arched an eyebrow questioningly. "It was Walter's advice. He worries too much".

"Just enough, I'd say. Especially considering your penchant for getting into trouble." Anderson chuckled, remembering that the elderly retainer would likely consider him to be exactly the kind of trouble Integra should be avoiding "Either way, running two versions of the same booze at the same time is just strange. Presumably all the drinks for the event would be different, so every drink would have to have a double. That's a pricey choice, there's no way the event organisers could afford an expense like that". Integra's frown deepened, and she looked over to him.

"Do you think all my drinks have been…like that?"

"Possibly. They've been bringing you drinks, haven't they?"

"Yeah, me and everyone else". There was loud burst of laughter from the crowd. Integra recognised the sound of Miriam's laughter but didn't turn to face it. Anderson barely seemed to notice it at all, and she watched ash he dipped his finger into her drink swirling it around the glass.

"Alexander!" She complained. He gave her a very pointed look, over the top of his glasses before tasting the small amount from his fingertip. His face scrunched up, the wrinkles around his eyes a clear indicator of his disgust. He grunted, spitting the liquid back into the glass. Integra swatted at his arm, seriously questioning his sanity.

"Alex! That was my drink! That was disgusting!". Her voice became whiney and he shot her another withering look.

"Integra, you, and everyone at that bar has been drinking spiked drinks all night long. And from the taste of it, it was with succubus pheromones". Integra's face slackened, her mouth opening widely in shock. Anderson couldn't help but feel a small rush of victory at knowing he'd ruffled her feathers.

"You're sure?", her mouth was dry, and she desperately wanted to drink something clean.

"I'm certain, part of my training as a paladin is to identify things like this. Plus it also tastes disgusting. How didn't you notice?"

"It tasted nice to me…" She chewed her lip, her fingers hovering over her mouth.

"It's probably supposed to taste nice." He said, clearing his throat, attempting to sound comforting. This became much harder when she turned to him, her sapphire eyes watering, making his heart beat hard and heavy. "It works like a mood enhancer" Hoping that if he explained it, she wouldn't cry. "It increases a person's libido and willingness to act on flirtatious whims. They used to be bottled and sold as aphrodisiacs. It won't harm you. You're perfectly safe. Just a little amorous, that's all. It'll wear off in an hour or so, so long as you stop drinking."

"You promise?". She asked. Anderson nodded slowly, amazed to hear her almost sound scared.

"Integra, you'll be perfectly safe. You're far too tenacious to die from this. I've seen you fight countless battles with the undead, have two of the deadliest monsters on this planet as pets, and not to mention you've come toe-to-toe with me in a fight and survived. We'll get the hell creatures who did this. I promise that".

He set his jaw, gently caressing his thumb over her knuckles. The gesture was meant to be comforting, and she seemed to enjoy it. Her own fingers began draw circles in his palm, her touch was gentle and her fingers surprisingly soft. His own hands were calloused and rough, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she began to lean in closer to him, her breasts pressing against him, her head tucking under his chin.

Anderson would have allowed her to stay, but she jerked and pulled away, her face the perfect depiction of horrified realisation.

"Oh god, what is wrong with me?" she muttered, sitting as far away as possible and sitting on her hands.

"You cannae resists my charm. It's the Scotsman in me. Ladies fall at ma feet" He joked, hoping to lighten her souring mood.

"Oh you can shut the fuck up." She spat back, although there was no real anger in the words. "It's the pheromones, it's nothing to do with you!"

"The pheromones only increase your natural libido, Integra. I cannae help that you find me handsome". His smile only widened as she spluttered, two red-spots forming on her cheeks. Anderson found the reaction incredibly appealing, and wondered how else he might make her blush in such away.

He was halfway through wondering how far such a blush would travel down her skin, when he realised the danger of these thoughts. If Iscariot ever found out how infatuated he had become, it would spell doom for them both. He couldn't risk his faith, his position and her own for such frivolous desires. Thankfully Integra was more than happy to change the subject.

"The _real_ issue at hand here is, Anderson, why would a succubus dose everyone at the event, and not just one specific person?"

Anderson frowned, thinking on her question. "We know they prefer desperate people, tha's what the event was meant to be a lure for, aye? Perhaps it raises the chance of getting prey?"

"Or they're after more than one of us!" Integra said, whipping round to look through the crowd. She tried to see if anyone from the event was missing, but the event's attendees had all merged into the main crowd at the main bar, making it impossible to separate out those who had been dosed from the regular civilians. Even Miriam and her crowd had managed to disappear. "Goddamnit. I can't keep track of everyone. They could have taken someone and killed them before we even noticed" She chewed at her bottom lip trying to think of a solution, but her mind was fuzzy and slow.

"We need to rendezvous with your men, see if they've noticed anyone suspicious leaving." Anderson stood, spying the two bodyguards across the room, and dragged Integra out of the booth. She squirmed, yanking her hand out of his grasp.

"What the hell?!" she snapped, not liking the electrifying feeling the hold had on her.

"I don't want to lose you in the crowd." He said plainly, as though she were being the unreasonable one. "With you in this state… I can't risk it"

"Then I shall walk in front of you!"

"Nonsense, You cannae see them. I can. I'm taller"

"Fine, but you may not grab me". She stepped forwards and looped her arm around his. "We shall walk. Like civilised people".

Anderson sighed, but accepted the compromise. At least this way she wouldn't wander off under the influence of her libido.

Eventually, they caught up with both her bodyguards on the far side of the room, by the exit. Neither one of them looked particularly enthused about their job. But upon seeing her being guided along by the priest, they both snapped to attention.

"Sir!-" Richard shot to his feet, his knuckles turning white where around the glass bottle he was brandishing. Integra was more worried it would break in his hand than his striking Anderson with it

"Stand down Lieutenant." She commanded, slipping out of Andersons grip. The priest had the nerve to try and grab her arm again, but she slapped the hand away, her icy glare daring her to try it again. She turned to her men her commanding aura suffocating the men around her.

"Look sharp boys, we've got confirmation of succubus activity, maybe even more than one."

"How do we know sir?" Vargas fell into the role of soldier with the efficiency of a well-worn veteran.

"Succubus pheromones have been put in all the free drinks offered at the event. We're not sure who's behind it yet, but the bar is stoked with duplicate bottles, all spiked with the pheromones."

"uh, uhh-h" Richard stammered, looking down at the empty bottle in his hand. His face turning a pale shade of green. He looked like he was about to vomit. Integra gave him a sympathetic glance.

"As Richard has no doubt worked out, that means both he and I have been dosed with them. It isn't poisonous, but it affects your emotional responses. You may say or do things that you wouldn't normally." Integra could feel the weight of the men's eyes on her, Alexanders feeling especially heavy on her back. She cleared her throat, feeling her resolve start to waver.

"Either of you seen anything suspicious?" Anderson cut through, ignoring Richards apparent nausea.

"A few people have been getting a little handsy, but bouncers tossed them out. Nothing I'd consider out of the ordinary". Vargas answered, a little bristle in his voice. "A few couples have left, from the sounds of it there's a private hook-up area near here they were heading to. One of those sharp looking organisers went after them. You know, those ones in the fancy pastel suits? Reckoned he was trying to bring them back."

Anderson nodded, chewing on the information. "Any other entrance or exist, beside this one?"

"No sir, the only other door outta' here is through the beer garden round back, but that's enclosed. It'd likely have cameras too. I don't see anyone getting out that way."

"Probably not, but it's never good to assume" Integra cut back in, keen to retain the head of this conversation. "But we have to follow up every lead. Vargas, I want you and Richard to follow after that organiser, you two know what he looks like so you're more likely to make a positive I.D. Anderson and I will head around back to the beer garden and keep an eye on the remaining organisers, see if there's something going on there."

Both soldiers gave affirmative nods, Richard's a little more hesitant than Vargas', before skulking out of the door and disappearing into the murky gloom of the evening.

Integra watched them go, a sudden hollow feeling in her chest. She knew something was wrong, but it was difficult to separate the effects of the drink from the anxiety swirling in her stomach. She felt Anderson's hand press into the small of her back, a comforting and familiar gesture.

"Integra, you ready to go?" He asked, his voice rumbling through the din of the crowd.

Pulling her shoulders back and straightening her posture she turned to the large man beside her. "As I'll ever be." She said, not feeling as confident as she looked.

She hooked her arm through his and slowly guided them to the beer garden's entrance. She could feel the cold air slipping through the cracks between the doors, sliding across her exposed skin and causing her to shiver. Anderson held her a little closer and pushed open the heavy door.


	17. Forbidden Urges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Integra and Alexander follow the trail of the blood thirsty succubus to the back of the bar, but temptation and bad feelings permeate the air. What will win in the end, duty or desire?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Updated 2/12/20! - I decided i could do better, so i did.
> 
> Hi all! So this chapter is a little shorter than the last one, but I really love how it turned out. I love the balance of dialogue and visual description. I'm enjoying the banter between the characters, and the build of suspense. I know a lot of you are enjoying the Integra and Anderson scenes, so I am more than happy to present you this very cheeky chapter. As always I love hearing your comments and opinions, so please feel free to share. I have an idea where this story is going for a good few chapters, and I expect at least one more to be written and released before Christmas, two if you're all on Santa's good list. I'll see you all in the next one, Ciao x.

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Forbidden Urges.**

* * *

The beer garden was surprisingly busy for such a rainy evening. A large wooden canopy hung off the exterior wall, holding off most of the bad weather. It gave way to an uncovered paved courtyard, slick with rain and glistening under the artificial lights of the bar. It would have been almost charming if not for the people that inhabited the space.

Groups of friends and huddled together under the covered half of the patio, cigarette smoke hanging heavy in the air around them. Sturdy wooden benches were scattered around. Those in the rain were left abandoned, and the few that remained under covered were littered with half-empty drinks and almost full ashtrays. The occasional couple could be found pressed into the darkest corners, entangled in each other’s arms, ignoring people surrounding them.

Anderson could practically taste the cheap tobacco and sweat that permeated the air making it clear no-one was out here for fresh air. He could see his own breath forming clouds in front of him, but his regenerative powers prevented from feeling the apparent chill of the evening’s air. Ever since he been given his powers, he’d rarely felt the negative effects of cold weather. The only time he’d ever truly felt cold was a lone mission to the mountains of Siberia. That had been a harrowing experience in many ways, but In comparison to that memory, this evenings weather felt positively balmy.

He glanced down at Integra. One of her arms was tightly looped through his own, her hand resting on his forearm whilst her eyes scanned the crowds around them.

Just as she was about to speak, a sharp gust of wind blew throughout the courtyard, the harsh chill causing a wave of muttered swears and alarmed squeals to rise from the crowd. A few women let out high pitched squeals, and the surrounding men made comparable mutterings of discomfort. Even Integra seemed caught off-guard, pressing closer into him, her small shivers rippling through her grasp on his arm.

He watched, captivated, as goose flesh rippled across her skin. Her low neckline and bare shoulders afforded her little protection from the frigid temperatures, although seemed to be doing wonders for her figure. Anderson couldn’t deny he saw a few jealous looks thrown his way, by men and women alike. 

As a second gust came through he instinctively wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest, letting them both be swallowed into the crowd. As soon as he realised what he’d done, he regretted the action. Integra was now firmly pressed against him, and every inch of his skin that touched her felt like it were on fire. Worst of all, he was painfully aware of how her chest pushed against him, her soft curves brushing against his own hardened muscles. The hold felt alarmingly intimate, and it sent bolts of desire running through him, ending in a place a man in his position had no good reason to feel anything.

Anderson clenched his jaw as his heart began to hammer against his ribs, a reaction he fought hard to control lest Integra felt it from where he had crushed her against him. One of his arms sat, snaked around her back, the other had caught her hand, her gentle fingers sitting neatly in his own calloused ones. He was surprised to find them so soft, despite her noble birth he had known her as an excellent warrior and swordsman. Such achievements normally left their marks on a person. It was not until she stroked her thumb across his knuckles that he realised neither of them were wearing their customary gloves, a realisation that made him feel abnormally exposed.

“Your hands are always so warm…” Integra murmured. Alexander would have regarded her tone as friendly, almost conversational, if not for the Intesa way she was staring at his hand. She turned his hand, tracing the lines of his palm like they held the secrets of the know universe. The tenderness of the touch tempted him beyond anything else he had experienced. He knew then he was in deep water.

‘ _Damn it all_ , _she’s barely touching me and I’m turning to putty in her hands’,_ he thought, staring at anything that wasn’t the woman in front of him. ‘ _This has to stop. It’s not right to do this, not with her. Not with me.’_

He made a gruff noise and promptly dropped her hand, stepping back and out of the grip he had on the woman. He needed to put distance between them, but the space around him felt could without her occupying it, driving him to distraction. If the Vatican ever found out about the details of this evening his whole career would be over. His resolve would be questioned and his whole purpose in life would be gone. Hers too.

Integra also seemed to mourn the warm embrace, as she almost instantly began shivering again. Deciding he couldn’t just let her freeze, he jerkily shook of his blazer and draped it over her shoulders, tucking neatly around her shoulders. The garment was huge on her, almost as long as her dress, the lapels hiding large amounts of her outfit as well as her surprisingly prominent chest. He decided to thank god for the small mercy. Any alleviation from this temptation was welcome.

She give a small smile, snuggling deep into his jacket. He noticed her eyes sparkle with satisfaction.

“Thank heavens you regenerators run so warm” She purred. “Is the Vatican willing to spare you? I could do with having a personal clothes warmer around. My mansion gets so cold in winter, I get horrifically cold toes too”

“I’m the only regenerator they’ve got, and I’ve better things to do than sit around warming you up all day.” Anderson folded his arms across his chest, trying his best to sound standoffish. Integra merely rolled her eyes and smirked, unfazed by his grumpy demeanour. They both knew succubus pheromones would begin to fade soon, but for the moment they were keeping her in a surprisingly peppy mood. He found it disconcerting to say the least.

She seemed impervious to his internal struggle, as well as the consequences of her actions, turning away from him and scanning the crowd. “Does something seem strange to you out here?”, she asked, voice taking on a serious edge. Her nose wrinkle. As though she’d caught a bad scent in the air, and her fingers clung to the lapels of his jacket,

“I dinnae’ sense anything suspicious out here. Well, no more than inside” Anderson said, trying to coach his mind to more appropriate thoughts. “It’s hard for me to tell with the pheromones everywhere. Smart, but it implies they were prepared to fight someone like me, which is concerning”.

“Well that’s comforting” Integra responded, tilting her head to the side. “I know there’s something out here though.” Her shoulders straightened, squaring out underneath his blazer. Anderson knew she’d got a lead and was hunting it down, like a lioness stalking its prey. “Come with me”, she grabbed his hand, her fingers loosely looping through his own, and pulled him through the dense crowd. Despite the clear size difference, Anderson felt compelled to follow her lead, staying as close to her as possible. It wasn’t until they reached the very edge of the covered patio that he realised her reason for grabbing him.

They stood with the rain falling just inches from their faces, looking out onto the empty courtyard. It was unquestionably quieter here, the emptiness of the night swallowing all sound . Integra pointed across the paved terrace with her free hand, her other remaining nestled in his own. He, once again, attempted to ignore the delicacy of her fingers, and looked in the direction she was pointing. At the very far corner of the terrace, stood a spindly looking wire gate, an eyesore in the otherwise neat wooden fence that lined the beer garden. It looked like the gate had originally been obstructed by a collection of large industrial bins, but they had roughly been thrown aside to allow access. Someone had slipped out the back, into the winding back alleys of the city, and recently.

“You think that’s where the succubus could be?” He asked, squinting to make out the details of the alley.

“I think so. I can’t express it. It just feels like…like it’s where I’d want to go. If someone asked me.”. Integra’s voice sounded strained and hollow, like she couldn’t quite understand her own words. “I can feel something summoning me there”. Anderson pressed his lips together, a frown furrowing his brow.

“That’ll be the pheromones. Whilst they make you more flirtatious in general, they often link you to as prey for a specific succubus.”

“You mean it’s calling me to it? Like some kind of spell?”

“Possibly. It could just be luring you away, waiting to find you later.” He gave a small shrug, letting out a sigh. “Either way, it’s a solid lead. It’ll come and find you eventually, no matter where you are. Going down there might lure it away from the crowd, limit casualties and public exposure if it does attack.”

“I’m not going down there alone!” Integra’s whisper became a little strained and pitchy, her grip on his hand becoming punishingly tight. “I might be well trained and …and _armed…”_ she emphasised the last words, as if he might have forgotten. “But I will not go face a creature alone, not when it can directly influence my mind and likely kill me! I may be proud Alexander, but I’m no fool!”

He gave a small smile, and shook his head, making small clicking noises with his tongue. “ I never said you’d be alone, Integra. I just said, it should _think_ yer’ alone. I’ll be there with you. It’ll have a tougher time sensing me, especially if you’re there and I’m hiding. There’s no need to panic lass”

Her eyes trailed the length of him. He was absolutely enormous; it was a ridiculous notion that he could hide anywhere. He was simply too big not to be noticed. She scoffed, but her shoulders visibly relaxed a little. “I never panic Anderson! And _never_ call me lass. You get more than enough freedom not using my official title as it is”

“Oh, and you’re such a stickler for usin’ mine all o’ the time”, he snarked back, a playful grin on his face. He could have sworn she giggled, but she had hidden her mouth behind her free hand, and the noise from the surrounding people seemed to swallow her voice before it reached him. Part of him was disappointed, her laughter was a rare but pleasant sound that he had come to treasure.

There was a brief pause between the two of them, Integra’s eyes fluttering over to meet his own, her gaze felt like snowflakes falling across his skin. Her fingers brushed against her lips, bringing his attention to the gentle smile that played upon them. His thumb twitched against the hand still in his grasp, brushing against her knuckles, and he fought the urge to pull her closer again.

“We should go” She said, pulling her hands back towards herself, relaxing into her business-like tone of voice. She tried to think of how they could sneak away without the other patrons noticing something suspicious. “We need to make it look like we’re a couple, running off together. If we go one at a time, it’ll attract too much attention, and someone might follow us.”

“Really?”. Anderson couldn’t keep the discomfort out of his voice. He was not used to espionage and all the theatrics that came along with it. Nor was he comfortable in tempting fate and getting close to her again. “Is there no other alternative?”.

Integra shot him a scathing look. “Can you think of a viable alternative Alexander?”. To his annoyance, he could not.

“No”, he sulked.

“Fine, then stop wasting my time by arguing, and act like we’re a couple”. She stepped towards him, but Anderson felt panic rising in his chest, and he stepped back, unwilling to risk anything.

“And just how do we do tha?” he asked, genuinely confused. He had been a member of Iscariot for many years. He was skilled in the art of warfare and battles, not in deception. He had never had cause to use such methods before, and he was apprehensive at using them now.

He heard Integra curse a blue streak. “Forgive me, I’m afraid I’ll have to take the lead here.” She said, a small blush coating her cheeks. She drew closer now, her hands resting on his abdomen. “I’m going to kiss you now. Okay?”

He looked down, his heart beating a thousand miles a minuet. He should have stopped her there, but he didn’t. The lessons of his church, the time at Iscariot and his entire way of life had all taught him this was wrong. But in that moment, he didn’t care. Despite everything, he found himself nodding, and leaning down to her, his hand resting against her delicate cheek, his face inching slowly towards hers.

The moment her lips touched his, the whole world seemed to stop turning. His eyes closed as he became immersed the feeling of her soft lips against his own. It started tender, almost chaste in its delicacy. Her lips were gentle and unsure, neither of them used to the exercise, but as it continued Anderson felt a growing need boiling within him, the fires of unsated lust blazed furiously within his soul.

Integra felt it too, a small moan escaping her lips as he deepened the kiss and took control. His hand snaked round her side, and cradled her lower back, his other moved to entangle itself in her hair at the nape of her neck. His lips parted as she pressed even closer, her arms looping around his shoulders and holding him tightly. She had only meant to be kiss him very briefly, but something about it made her insides turn summersaults and her legs quiver.

He held back a desperate growl, as she gently caught his bottom lip in her teeth, playfully biting him as her hips rolled against his. Keen to see her reaction, he let one of his hands roam downwards, caressing the soft mounds he found there. This created the rather delightful side-effect of pushing her hips closer to his own as well as encouraging her to become bolder in her amorous advances.

Integra, had never been one to rescind leadership for long, and quickly began working to gain the upper hand in the exchange. More out of curiosity than anything else she raked her fingers through his hair and down through the shorter stubble that lined his jaw. Alexander leaned into the touch, his head tilting to the side and revealing the soft flesh of his neck. Visions of gothic romances and erotic love scenes flew into Integra’s mind and she felt a sudden compulsion to pay special attention to the area.

She pulled away from his mouth, seizing the opportunity to plant delicate, feverish kisses along his neck. She felt, more than she heard, the delicious growl that rumbled through his chest and she smiled wickedly against his skin, enjoying his response to her touch. Inspired by the success of her first adventure, , she turned her kisses into small nibbles. For her efforts, his growl deepened, and his hands tightened around her.

He pulled her back to his mouth, his kisses becoming feverish and desperate. His hands slipped under the blazer he had given her and glided across the smooth curve of her hips, up towards her breasts. His touch sent a delightful fire rippling across her skin, and as he began to massage the material that covered her nipples, she realised that if they didn’t stop soon, there would be a very good chance this would evolve into something far more serious.

“Anderson…” her voice was raspy, coming out as pants and breathy whispers.

“By the Lord Integra,” Anderson responded, his lips fluttering across the nape of her neck, “At this point I think ye can call me Alex”. She could feel his heart beating faster and harder than was humanly possible through his chest. She found it a wonder that it hadn’t broken through his ribcage completely. Clearly being a regenerator had a greater effect on his physiology than she thought. She briefly though if such improvements extended to other physical arenas, before she caught herself and abruptly put a stop to the thought.

“Alex …” She responded, pulling away slightly, intent on getting their interactions, as well as her own mind, back on sensible ground. Anderson, however, seemed less interested in this idea, and attempted pull her back into the feverish kisses that had started all of this. The worst part of it all was that she couldn’t deny how good it felt. His lips were warm where they caressed her neck, making her breathing heavy and laboured as he trailed down towards her décolletage. She gave in, clinging to him as her legs slowly became jelly underneath her.

Anderson caught her gaze, and instantly felt the strong pull of lust deep in his gut. Integra held tightly onto him, a satisfied smile slowly coating her features. She closed her eyes as he stroked up the side of her body, planting kisses along her collar bone. Her long eyelashes kissed the top of her cheeks and she pressed herself tighter against him. Andersons’ chest tightened, his heart beating irregularly against his ribs. He tried to push the feeling down, but every moment she was in his arms the greater his desire became. This was proof he’d spent too much time around her, fighting alongside her, exchanging barbs over all these years. He lusted for her, and now she knew it, damn her.

Eventually he had to pause for breath, which gave Integra just enough time to re-gain her faculties and grab his face, placing her slender fingers over his mouth.

“You have to let me go” She panted, her skin already showing small round bruises where his own nibbles had become full blown love bites. Integra had quite enjoyed the feeling at the time, but these were quite revealing marks to leave behind. Her smile turned to a frown as she realised shed have to explain the marks at some point. Absently her fingers traced circles along Anderson back, enjoying the feel of muscles beneath his shirt.

The man in question, still seemed to be stuck in the lust-fuelled haze, his pupils shining and dilated; a small frown crinkling his brow.

“I dinnae ken what yer on aboot woman, but yer ruining an awful pleasant moment for meh” Anderson’s accent was strong and thick, making it impossible to understand him. His tightening grip on her arse, however, spoke volumes.

“Anderson!” She chastised, swatting the offending hands. He let out a small grumble and began kissing the fingers she held at his mouth. It took all Integra’s self-control not to give in and let him continue, especially as he moved his attentions to the delicate skin at her wrist. The heady feeling sent bolts of lightning trough her body, and delectable shivers up and down her spine. “You’re forgetting the mission.” She reprimanded, her voice losing its commanding tone by the second.

“I hate it when yer focused on work”. He said, lips brushing against her skin. “Although I do like seeing you take charge. ‘Tis refreshing to see a woman like tha. Not enough of it around…” Integra wasn’t sure if he was still talking to her, nor what he was specifically talking about, but she didn’t mind the compliment. Even if it was difficult to understand. She slowly prised her hand free, and cupped the side of his face.

“Come on. We cannot stay here any longer.” Her voice was gentle and smooth. She needed to get them back to the matter at hand. The consequences of what they’d done were serious enough without missing their chance to exterminate their target. If they let that succubus go free, there’d be hell to pay fort the both of them.

Her words seemed to cut through the dense matter he called a brain, and the priest came to his senses. He let go of her suddenly, as though the mere touch of her skin was burning him alive. The response caused Integra to wobble, most alarmingly, before she caught herself against of the thin wooden columns that supported the patio cover. Her legs were still in the process of regaining a sense of decorum when Anderson shot her an apologetic look, hands hovering around her, ready to catch her should she fall,

“Aw hell, Integra I’m sorry. I got carried away…I should nay have…I didn’t mean to…” His words seemed to stop before fully escaping his mouth, leaving Integra with many half-finished apologies. She wasn’t entirely sure if he was apologising for getting carried away, or practically tossing her away when he realised what he’d done. From the anxious look on his face, she guessed it was likely both.

 _‘Poor man’,_ she thought. _‘He’s probably distraught at having un-Christian thoughts. I doubt he’s kissed anyone in years.’_ Ignoring the small internal cries at her own hypocrisy, Integra pulled herself upright and readjusted the top of her dress, which had made its way slowly southwards at some point in the evenings activities.

“Save the apologies for later Alexander, we need to get to that alley.” She shot him a sharp glare when she finally managed to get her dress back into place. The giant man actually managed to look bashful as he scrubbed at the back of his neck, a light flush coating his cheeks. “Yes well,” she continued. “I’m certain anyone watching would have believed our little display. If we sneak off now, no one will think twice”

The rain had eased off to a slow, fine drizzle, permeating the air with a constant dampness that was not at all pleasant. The perfectly paved patio was slick with water, and the puddles had grown larger, and now threatened to push the rest of the patrons back inside.

Integra’s fingers itched to be holding a cigar, and she could feel her teeth grinding against the unfulfilled habit. When this was all over, she would allow herself a single, small, little cigarette. This whole mission had her temperament shot to hell.

She held out a hand to Anderson, but when he merely stared at it dumbly, still in the throes of his catholic guilt. She settled for grabbing his sleeve and pulling him out from under the cover of the portico. He followed with minimal resistance, although he clearly was not fully tuned back into planet earth yet.

“Alex!” She hissed, trying to keep a smile on her face as she pulled them both through the rain, and towards the alley opening. “Can you at least act interested. People will think I’m kidnapping you”. Surprisingly her words seemed to cut through to him and he looked up at her eyes sharp.

“If tha’s what ye want” He muttered, tugging her back towards him and scooping her into a fireman’s hold. Before she could process exactly what was going on her feet were dangling in mid-air and her head was cradled against his shoulder. She let out a brief cry of alarm, which she quickly hid behind a fit of flirtatious laughter, when she noticed people staring at them.

“Is that interested enough for ye?” Anderson asked, clearly enjoying having control over her.

“Yes fine!” She spat from behind her fake smile. “Now go! People are _staring_ ”. Anderson, apparently needed no further encouragement, began walking towards the busted gate at the back of the courtyard. The bins were overflowing and flooded with rainwater, causing the occasional piece of garbage to rise up, and float out of the dumpster. The outdoor lights barely penetrated the gloom that covered the area, and the alley beyond looked almost pitch black in comparison to the warm lighting of the bar. The wire gate was flimsy, and already half open, and was easily moved by a sharp kick from Anderson.

Slowly he walked into a darkened alley. It seemed normal enough, meeting the main street on one end, the orange glow of the city lights and the sounds of cars tempting them back to civilisation. The other end, however, seemed anything but normal. The alley continued to wind behind buildings, snaking into the heart of the city covered in almost complete darkness.

Integra felt a small shiver across her skin as she looked into the darkness. She could feel it. The succubus was down there. Anderson seemed to reach the same conclusion, and she felt his muscles tighten in response.

“You have to put me down” She whispered to him. Integra wasn’t certain why she was being so quiet, but it somehow felt necessary.

“Nay. I’ll keep you where I can see you” He said gruffly, his eyes fixed on the darkness.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I understand your concern, but this is just silly! If you wish to protect me then put me down. Carrying me like this, you limit your movement, and you certainly can’t summon your blades. You said I needed to go alone anyways!” She jabbed his chest, an action which rewarded with a piercingly ferocious glare. Part of her began to wonder if he were entirely sane behind the educated charm he sometimes managed to show. “Put. Me. Down.” She repeated, meeting his eyes with a levelled glare of her own.

Slowly he placed her on the pavement, and she instantly regretted the decision. There was no drainage in the back alley, and the puddles were large, deep and smelt distinctly like garbage. The water made everything slippery and her heeled shoes offered her little grip. She’d be better off leaving them behind, if everything weren’t coated in filth.

She turned to Anderson, gently touching his arm before letting him go. “I’ll go first. You follow, but keep your distance. If they notice you’re there they might bolt, and there’s no guarantee I could keep up with them if they do”

He gave a single nod, but remained silent. He flicked his wrists slightly and two shining bayonets manifested themselves into his hands. It happened so quick that if you blinked you’d miss it, but she was certain they’d come from his sleeves. Packing it into the ‘questions to be asked later’ part of her brain, Integra stole her nerves and turned away from her lone protector.

“Be careful Integra. A succubus is a trickster daemon, it could do anything to gain your trust. Do not hesitate. No matter what you see.”

She nodded back at him, taking head of his advice. She walked slowly into the darkness, letting her eyes adjust to the cold gloom of the alleyway. She knew this darkness well. It was a manufactured nightfall, meant to disorient prey. She’d seen Alucard use similar tactics over the years, but the familiarity of it offered her no comfort. This only confirmed that whatever was down here was very powerful indeed.

She looked back to see if Anderson had followed her, but the alley had already disappeared behind her, covered in the artificial gloom. She felt a sense of dread roll across he gut as something, or rather someone brushed the back of her hand.

“Who’s there?” She demanded, automatically reaching inside her purse for her gun. The small pistol was cold and comforting in her grip, but she left it hidden in the bag, unwilling to give away her weapon till she needed it.

She hadn’t really been expecting an answer, so when she saw someone began approaching her from the thickest part of the gloom, Integra could barely control her heartbeat.

It was a man, dressed in a dark suit, handsome features, with a far too charming smile coating them. She knew him even before he spoke, it was her bodyguard.

“I knew you’d come find me my dear. I’m so glad you could join me”. His voice was smooth, every word laced with allure. Integra fought against the urge to walk to him as she ground out her response

“Hello there, Richard. How…unexpected.”

He smiled at her, his arms opening wide. “Oh my dear, you have no idea how right you are”


	18. Firefight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Integra faces off against a daunting and familiar looking enemy. Is she prepared to make the difficult decisions and can she face the consequences of facing off against her desires?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So this is my latest chapter. I'm officially on Xmas break so I should be able to get another chapter out before the new year! I have at least two chapters with everyones favourite vampires coming up, so stay tuned! It shall be a Christmas gift to anyone who wishes to read it! It's better than coal, or at least I hope so.
> 
> This chapter was originally meant to be much much longer, but I felt it was all a bit arduous and boring to read. Fret not though, for all those who are enjoying the AAxI storyline, all of it will be used, just hopefully in a more interesting format.I really enjoy seeing so many people get invested in this rather unusual couple. I know its not in any way cannon, very much an AU interpretation, but it has so much possibility for tension down the line. Ah, alas, if only I had the time.
> 
> Anyways, let me know what you think, I'm open to all kinds of reviews and Iv'e been loving the support I've been getting so far, you've all been so kind and lovely, it really makes me feel appreciated. I'll see you all in the next one, Ciao xx

* * *

**Chapter 18 – Firefight.**

* * *

Integra shivered as the man before her spoke, his every word was coated in syrup, his voice impossibly charming. He looked like Richard, but his voice was far smother than it had ever been before, rumbling like a distant and powerful storm. She wondered why she had never noticed how enchanting the man sounded until now, her curiosity fixing her in place as she stared at his approach.

As he drew closer, she saw how the smooth and eerie perfection of his skin, shone under the limited moonlight. The rough stubble along his jaw and the well-worn laugh lines, that framed his hazel eyes, were all but gone. This was Richard; but it was not the hardened soldier she had come to know. This was a synthetic copy of a man she knew, his rough exterior erased and smoothed over for superficial perfection and easy charm.

"What's the matter, my sweet. Don't you recognise me?". The doppelganger spoke, a hollow smile plastered on its face. The widespread lips revealed rows of sparkling white teeth, shining brightly despite the apparent gloom of the alley way. It almost seemed like he was glowing from head to toe, the brightness made her feel dizzy and confused, somehow blurring her thoughts before she could collect them properly.

"Who the hell are you?" She spat, her hand firmly gripping the pistol as she pointed it at him. The cold touch of silver on her skin was the only anchor she had in the haze of his presence. Her fingers itched to shoot him, but she needed answers.

"You know me." He spoke, an arrogant leer still plastered to his face. He seemed entirely unfazed by the weapon and continued to slowly stalk towards her. Integra knew she should be backing away from him, but she found her feet were no longer responding to her commands. Her whole body was frozen.

"I do not know you." She retorted, half yelling her words, hoping the volume might discourage his approach or attract outside attention. It did not.

Her hands began to shake as he got closer, and she fought against the urge to drop the gun as the barrel pressed against his chest. He was so close she could smell him. The distant aroma of gunpowder and open grassland rolled off him, reminding her of all the mornings Richard spent training on the grounds of the Hellsing manor, and how she used to watch him from the lofted windows of her office. He would report to her smelling of freshly disturbed earth and gun-smoke, even after he had showered and dressed. Secretly she had always found it quite pleasant, but confronted with it so close, she couldn't deny she found it attractive.

She looked up into his eyes and his smile softened, warmth returning to his familiar eyes. The longer she gazed at him, the more he became the Richard she had always known. She didn't even flinch as he reached up and gently prised the pistol out of her grasp, tossing it away, across the wet tarmac. He pressed even closer, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She flushed as her eyes fall downwards, this was an inappropriately intimate gesture for a bodyguard to perform, especially as he leant down and whispered to her.

"Do you remember me now, my dear?". Integra felt a pleasant chill run down her whole body. At the sound of the words her whole body relaxed, all urge to resist dropping away. She felt so calm, she wondered exactly what had worried her in the first place.

"I remember you" she stammered, leaning into him as he wrapped her in a loose embrace. "Yes…I remember you, Richard". Her words were slow, her brain fogging the longer she stayed in his arms. It felt almost like she was dreaming.

"Would you like me to kiss you, dearest Integra?" His invitation was affectionately given, tempting her with every syllable he spoke. She had always liked Richard, he was handsome and kind, he kept her company on long cold missions, even when he didn't have to. She let her arm slip around him, a strange tugging sensation taking over her chest.

"I'm not sure…" she frowned, scrutinising his features, now so close to her own. Something was definitely wrong, hadn't she been afraid of him just now? She couldn't remember clearly anymore. "You're not supposed to do this" she stammered out her tongue dry and heavy in her mouth. "You work for me, no with me… or is it around me?". Her frown deepened as her thoughts jumbled around inside her mind, slipping from her grasp like sand. Every time she had focused herself enough to grasp a memory, the images in her mind faded away as she was left with nothing but the distinct feeling of unease and loss. She pushed away slightly looking around the encapsulating darkness. She was definitely forgetting something.

Richard smoothed her hair, pinning her close to his chest, muttering soothingly into her ear. His grip on her arms was so hard his knuckles turned white, but she could barely feel anything but the warmth of his skin. She tried to get him to release, push herself free, but he swatted her arms away, his grip intensifying enough to draw blood where his nails dug into her skin. She tried to scream, but his hand clamped over her mouth, his face suddenly unfriendly and unfamiliar. She tried to struggle as the face of the man before her began to shift before her eyes, but his grip was so tight she could barely breathe. His face grew closer to her own. She was going to die; she was all alone, and she was going to die.

At the very moment she had given up, something very large and heavy barrelled into her side. His grip on her was wrenched away by the impact, the suddenness sent him crashing against a wall and her skidding across the asphalt. Her left arm and knee took the brunt of the fall, but she felt no pain, only a floaty numbness spreading throughout her body.

She was free of broken bones, but her left side had a few grazes, as well as the scratch marks on her lower arms, where the doppelganger had held her. The wounds looked deep and clean, like they had been done with talons rather than human fingernails.

She looked up to the creature in question, only to find him impaled to the wall of the alley, a single, silver bayonet penetrating his stomach; holding him a few feet above the ground. The creature was desperately scrabbling to stay upright, howling in pain as its own body weight cased it to slide down the blade. Next to him stood the familiar form of Alexander Anderson, his face splattered with black blood, a hateful glare coating his face.

"What are you doing here?!", the priest demanded, twisting the blade painfully into the creatures stomach. Integra watched as her the copy of Richard cried out in pain, its voice becoming an animalistic shriek. Anderson refused to relent, and pierced its shoulder with another bayonet, pulled from the depths of his overcoat. Integra briefly wondered if there was space enough to hide in that coat. The sound of the creatures screams filled her with fear, and she could almost feel the pain of his wounds. The sound made her sick to her stomach and she fought a wave of nausea as she met the creatures eyes. Eyes that looked so endearingly familiar. Integra couldn't bare the harrowing screams, and covered her ears, feeling like her eardrums were about to burst from the power of it.

All of a sudden the darkness surrounding them shattered, small cracks of light forcing their way through the darkness. She couldn't hear a word, but Anderson was muttering something rapid-fire, combatting the dark magic with the repetitive mantra. With every word he spoke, Integra's mind began to clear, the impenetrable fog fading away to reveal clearer thoughts.

She was able to push herself to her knees, only to feel a sharp pain shoot through her left shoulder. Now the monster's magic was removed, her pain returned threefold, hitting her like a brick wall. She forced her breathing to keep even, concentrating on remaining conscious as the pain shot through her body. She may not have broken anything, but from the feel of it, there might be a fracture somewhere.

Ahead of her, Anderson ceased his torture, wrenching the bayonet's blade from the creatures gut. It fell face first, its skull cracking open as it bounced off the tarmac. Black blood poured from the creatures wounds, gathering in large pools around its crumpled body. It was still alive, but only barely. Anderson's blades were blessed, and such damage could only be mended without a great deal of time and many victims to feed from. The succubus would be receiving neither.

"Why are you here?!" Anderson asked it again, his voice demanding and militant. "Why are your kind so far north? How many of you are there, what is your purpose in killing so many humans?" He kicked at the creature, forcing it to roll onto its side to escape the brutal punishment. The succubus let out a wheezy chuckle, a sickening sound that remined Integra of breaking bones and tearing of sinew.

Anderson was pleased to have broken the creatures magic, but he was not happy to see it was still capable of laughter. Was there no end to evil's ability to endure the retribution of god? He wanted to see the creature burn in hell fire for what it had attempted. He'd shred the succubus to pieces himself if he had to. From the corner of his eye he saw Integra struggle to her feet, cradling her left arm against her side. He fought the urge go to her, settling instead for crushing the creatures arm under his boot, the bones snapping with and audible crunch. She walked towards them, looking bruised, beaten and pale, but far from defeated. He felt a small rush of something in his chest as he saw her, but he crushed it before he could put a name to it.

Beneath him, the succubus closely watched her movements, it eyes filled with predatory captivation. Anderson wanted nothing more than to kill it in that moment and wipe its face clean of the disgusting look. He took his boot of its arm, only to stab its shoulder with his bayonets, pinning it to the ground where it lay. It did nothing to stop the creature's cruel instincts, as it opened its mouth to speak again.

"Have you come to save me?", the creature asked Integra, its voice a horrifically distorted version of Richards. It no longer had the strength to disguise itself, but it was uselessly wasting the last of its energy just to upset the woman it had pursued. In that moment the paladin knew he could hate any creature, as much as he did the one beneath him.

Integra's face twisted in fury and disgust. "Why did you choose him? Why wear his face, steal his voice!?", her voice virulent. She refused to show anymore weakness to this stain of an existence. Even as it smiled up at her, and used the voice of the man she knew, she did not let her faltering heart show.

"I took a face you seemed to like. With my pheromones in your system, I have a small window into your mind. Just small peaks into your thoughts, as you have into mine. The man I chose appeals to you, although not as much as others do, I see that now." It's smile grew wider as it spoke, revealing rows of sharp uneven teeth within its mouth. Integra's jaw clenched, she could feel Anderson staring her down, the weight of monsters the statement hung heavy in the air between them. "I think I chose wrong, didn't I? You pulled away from me in the end. You are quite the frustrating morsel to attract". The succubus curled its lip into a snarl, blood coating its teeth and dribbling down its chin, looking every part the predator it was.

Integra grimaced, knowing this line of questioning had run dry. The monster would die soon, but she still needed answers from it. "Answer the priest's questions", she spat. "How many of your kind are here, this whole evening reeks of a planned attack! Succubae haven't been seen in this country for years, why start now?"

"We only do as the master asks. We are but humble subjects, it would be heresy to do otherwise.". The veritable delight on the creatures face was disturbing beyond all belief, but it was clear its strength was fading, as its laughter was disrupted by choking on its own blood.

"How many?" she repeated, her patience for the creature wearing thin fast.

"It matters little" the succubus croaked out. "You have discovered us. He won't let us live now." Integra's eye twitched, confused by the peculiar statement. She was just about to interrogate further when the sounds of a large explosion ricochet down the alleyway, causing both her and the priest to jump for cover.

They huddled behind a large turned over bin, as hot, dry air shot past them. A second blast sounded almost as soon as the first had ended blowing rubble and shrapnel through the air. Instinctively Anderson covered her with his own body, taking more than a few hits in his back for his actions. Curiously the succubus scrabbled towards the explosion, only to be hit by what appeared to be the remains of a garden bench, completely engulfed in flames. It took only a few seconds for the flames to catch the creature alight, and fewer still for it to be completely overwhelmed and turn to ashes before their eyes. Monsters of its kind never survived flames for long.

Anderson stayed above Integra cradling her softly against his chest. She was tightly curled up, her fingers gripping his filthy blood stained shirt as tightly as she could. She wasn't shaking, but her eyes were screwed shut against the dust and heat that surrounded them.

The sounds of petrified screams drew both of their attention back to in the direction of the bar. Integra could hear people running in the alley ahead of them, shouting for help, telling anyone who could hear them to run. The unmistakable smell of burning flesh filled the air, and she tried not to think about what that implied.

Slowly Anderson released her, helping her stand as they stepped out from behind the bin, walking back the way they had come. Smoke was heavy in the air, growing thicker as they walked towards bar. When it finally came back into view Integra's jaw dropped, her eyes wide in disbelief. The entire building was on fire, a large chunk completely blown out the side, and the rubble scattered out along the street. It looked like someone had let of a bomb, then started a fire for good measure.

"Holy shit" her whispered words were swallowed by the immense roar of the fire, and black smoke gathered in an immense cloud above them, blocking out the moon and stars. Her throat burned, and she began to choke on the coarse dry air. She felt Andersons hand wrap around her own, gently tugging at her. She looked over, only to find him covering his mouth, eyes fixed on her own.

"We need to get out of here!". He had to yell to be heard over the fire, deathly screams and the piercing sirens, getting closer by the second. She nodded, covering her own mouth as the black smoke began to surround them, chocking them out. She trusted Anderson as he half-dragged her towards the light of the main street. His hold caused pain to shoot all along her injured arm, sparking tears in her eyes, mixing with the soot and turning black as they trickled down her cheeks.

It wasn't until they were completely clear of the back ally, and engulfed in the safety of the gathered crowd that he stopped and looked back to see her. She hadn't meant to cry, but after everything, she hadn't been able to stop herself. The adrenaline had worn off, and her body couldn't dull the ache anymore. It was agony just to stand, and she felt like she was going to pass out any second.

She must have looked it, as Anderson instantly let go upon seeing her face, concern washing over his own features.

"Integra?" He asked his voice breaking at its edges, "What's wrong?"

"My arm…I think its hurt". She turned slightly, looking in horror as she saw her back and shoulder were almost completely covered with a mottled, black and purple bruise. A significant amount of cuts covered her entire body, some still had grit stuck in the fresh wounds. The blood that seeped out sparkled like beaded gemstones under the fierce firelight. Her skin was red and swollen, agitated by his rough grasp and the acrid. The great fire reflected off the round lenses of her shattered glasses, obscuring her watery eyes as she cupped her arm protectively.

He reached out to her, his hands beckoning her closer so he could examine her wounds. She gave a small nod and stood still as he gently probed the bruised skin of her back, hovering over the cuts and grazes along her body. She winced at his ministrations, attempting to hold back the tears that sprung to her eyes. She pretended like it wasn't in excruciating pain, and he pretended not to notice the tears that rolled down her cheeks, leaving tracks in the soot that coated her skin. Alexander felt his chest lurch as he looked over her. He desperately wished he could take away her pain, but he couldn't. All he could do was check over her briefly until they got back to the hotel.

"Nothing's broken," Anderson's voice was calm and collected, as he tried to keep his emotions contained inside his chest, where the fought to be contained "A few minor scrapes here and there. They look far worse than they really are, but there's a lot of gravel in there. You've bruised a bone or two, but you'll survive. It's best we get you out of here as soon as we can."

"I'm not going to a hospital" She said quickly, her tone broking no argument. Anderson nodded in understanding. The injures were not serious, and neither one of them could risk being caught unawares in a civilian hospital. It would be too risky for everyone involved.

"I understand" he said, moving to stand by her side. He took hold of her good arm, looping it through one of his own, he encouraged her to lean her weight against his form. "We need to get you back to the hotel, though. Your wounds need cleaning, even you can't fight of an infection through pure determination alone"

"No" she reverently shook her head. "Not yet". She fought to remain upright begrudgingly allowing herself to rely on the man beside her "We must find Vargas and Richard. I can't leave them behind". Ordinarily she would have trusted the two men to look after themselves, but with a massive building fire burning before them, it was likely that if either one were alive, they were going to be looking for her.

"And just how are we supposed to find _those two_ amongst all these people?" Anderson asked, his frustration growing with every second that she fought against his help. Even as her entire body was propped against his, the damn woman's pride reared its head and she fruitlessly fought to regain control of her aching and knackered limbs.

"We ask around" She said, attempting to square up her jaw and shoulders. The gesture was rendered ineffectual, mainly due to her inability to remain completely upright of her own volition anymore. "Come on." She commanded. "I can see Miriam. She's by the ambulances. That's where they'd look for me first". Integra's tone was so sure, but Anderson couldn't muster her certainty. There was no guarantee that either one of her men had made it out of the building alive. The crowd around them seemed to be mostly made of concerned onlookers, rather than the patrons from inside the bar. It seemed many people hadn't escaped the fire.

The fire raged on completely unfazed by the large canons that shot water into the uncontrolled blaze. The thick, sour smell of melting plastic filled the air mixing with the soot and ash of the fire, leaving most people in the area with a vague feeling of nausea.

He helped to guide her towards the rear edge of the crowds, towards the flashing lights of ambulances, fire engines and police cars. This was a dangerous idea, either one of them could get noticed and pulled aside for treatment or questioning, and they'd have to run and risk looking like suspects rather than get caught in the chokehold of jurisdictional disputes. He kept them to the shadows, but they eventually reached a plump looking woman, wrapped in a blanket, being hurriedly attended to by a young paramedic. The older woman seemed completely entranced by the inferno, not even acknowledging their presence until Integra cleared her throat rather loudly.

Miriam's hair was dirtied and messy, and her makeup was smudged from extensive crying and frantic scrubbing. Her left arm seemed to be covered in a nasty looking burn, and her eyes were vacant of all recognition as she turned to face Integra. She seemed deflated, and alone. Completely devoid of the charm and spark she had emanated before.

"Miriam?" Integra asked, her voice coming out far more tired than she intended. "It's me Integra. Are you okay, what happened in there?". The paramedic briefly looked up at her, his eyes squinting in concern as he spotted her many cuts and scrapes. He briefly glanced at Anderson, suspicion covering his features. Anderson watched carefully as the man returned to his work on Miriam's arm.

Miriam focused on the pair stood before her, her mind slowly making the connection between the name and faces that she was greeted with. "Oh…" she started, her voice was dry and shaky, clearly still beholden to shock and adrenaline. "Integra. And her friend. Yes. I remember you." She blinked quickly, her wide, vacant stare looking right through them "There was a fight", she stammered. "Someone got behind the bar, and then there was this awful noise and people started fighting each other. Then, BAM, everything just exploded.". Her eyes glazed over as she looked back over the crowds, to the inferno that towered over them all. "There was just so much fire. I lost all the girls in the crowds… I was so close to them…I wonder where they are?" He voice petered out to a whisper, and she went back to the catatonic state they had found her in.

The paramedic continued to tend to the woman, but the curiosity in his eyes only increased the longer they stood there. Anderson could feel he was going to radio for back up any time soon, they needed to leave before they got pegged as suspicious, or worse terrorists.

"We need to get out of here Integra" He whispered in her ear, hiding it behind the tender gesture of stroking her hair.

"Not yet!" She hissed, frustration coating her words.

"If we don't go _now_ we're going to get arrested. We look suspicious just hanging around, especially considering how injured you are and how uninjured I am. You look like I've taken you as a bloody hostage!"

"Oh just shut up for one moment I'm trying to-" Integra's anger was cut short as the sound of her name being yelled caught her attention. She instantly recognised it as Richards, and she practically tugged Anderson towards the noise. Eventually she saw her bodyguards, both of them at in the clearing of the crowd, pinned beneath police officers, hands cuffed behind their backs. Richard was screaming her name at the top of her voice, and Vargas was yelling at him to shut up. This was topped off by the Police yelling generalised threats as they pinned them to the ground.

Vargas was the first to spot her though the crowd, freezing as his eyes met hers. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but he shook his head, silencing her. He mouthed " _I'm fine. Go!"_ before the officers dragged him and Richard to their feet and towards the police cars that lined the crowd. Richard tried to swivel out of the officers grasp to look at her, but he was swiftly tackled to the ground, before being shoved in the same car as his compatriot.

Integra could feel Anderson by her side, and she was grateful that he had allowed her to find her men.

"We need to go". His voice was short, and he was looking over the crowds at something, his face blank. She tried to work out what had caught his attention, but before she could work it out he began pulling her out of the crowd and down the abandoned part of the street. She heard someone yelling, and she turned to see a police officer walking towards them, a walkie-talkie held up to his face. Anderson sped into a run, forcing her to look forwards, to stop her tripping on anything and she sprinted beside him.

They quickly dived into the back alleys, running randomly between streets both busy and quiet. They didn't stop running until they were a good ten blocks away, thoroughly lost in the back end of the city.

"How on earth are we supposed to get back?" She asked, her heart hammering in her chest. "If you're worried the police are onto us, a cab is out of the question, and there is no way a bus would let us on. God, would the hotel even let us through reception?" She could feel the panic in her body rise with every thought. Only Andersons firm grip on her uninjured arm kept her routed in reality.

"I'll get us out of here, don't you worry lass." His voice sounded so confident and soft, completely unfazed by the harrowing exercise. Integra didn't even bother to argue against being called 'lass' again, instead scowling at his ability to heal so quickly whilst she was stuck suffering the pain of being a regular human

He reached inside of his coat and produced a large looking bible, flicking though numerous pages full of languages she could not read. She was certain, when she had worn the coat, that no such book had been hidden in the pockets. Yet another ting he was hiding in a pocket dimension! Was there no end to the amount he could hide there?

Eventually he seemed to find the pages he was looking for, and he looked up from the book, to catch her gaze. She had already guessed what was about to happen, but it was strange to know it was going to happen all the same.

"I'm going to transport us, using my bible. It is a bit uncomfortable when you are not used to it. I need you to hold onto me, and tight. I don't want you getting lost out there". He pulled her into a tight embrace against his chest, trying his best not to crush her injured shoulder as he made certain she wouldn't slip away from him.

He began his chant slowly, speeding up as the wind began to whirl around them, sending pages fluttering through the air. Integra tried to watch what was happening, but a bright white light filled her vision, and she was forced to bury her face deep into his jumper to escape the burring it caused behind her eyes. There was horrifying a moment where the ground seemed to fall away from her, feeling like she was free-falling though space, with no other anchor to reality than the man before her. Fortunately, it ended quickly, and she felt the comforting press of the ground beneath her feet again. She felt warm air roll over her aching limbs, and Anderson's muscles relax under her grip. Unscrewing her eyes she looked up, and found herself back in the foyer of her hotel suite, the light of the freshly rising sun, bathing it in a soft white glow. Her ears rang from the sudden silence that surrounded her, and the fresh sent of room overwhelmed her senses. The whole experience left her feeling a little dizzy and she was forced to cling to Anderson for support. She looked up at the man, blinking rapidly as she tried to process the sensations. She tried to think of something intelligent to say, but her offered her nothing than the plainly obvious.

"Well, that was bizarre".


	19. A Tongue Lashing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Bet you thought you saw the last of me! Well no! I'm back. Hope you all had a lovely holiday, and are enjoying this year better than the last, so far anyways. This chapter was a long time coming and took me a while to get done, but in the end I'm really proud of it.
> 
> I must forewarn you though, this chapter sees the return of out two favourite vampires, and things are about to get SPICY. So if you have an issue with sex, or sex scenes in general, I'm sorry, but that is kinda what this fic will feature from this point onwards. For those of you who enjoy this however, joyous news! Smut is upon the horizon and I see plenty of horny encounters yonder!
> 
> In all seriousness, I do try to keep to characters as much as I can, but often I find that OG Alucard can come across a bit... too non-con for my personal tastes, so I tried to work in consent as much as I could into his underlying personality traits. However I will ultimately end up going OOC to accommodate for consent and I will not apologise for this. I'm not bashing anyones reading preferences, but non-con is just not an area I am comfortable writing so I will leave it to others. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and I hope to see you soon. Much love, Ciao xxx

* * *

**Chapter 19 - A Tongue Lashing**

* * *

Seras had perched herself atop of the ammunitions box she slept in, her legs curled underneath her as she guzzled down her third and final blood pack. After the events of the previous evening her wounds were healing slowly, and she had been desperate to drink as much as she could before the team shipped out back to the mansion. It did no one any good to have a hungry vampire lurking around. Alucard stood beside her, his long frame leaning against the tall box's side.

She was dressed in the dress shirt he'd given her the previous morning. With her uniform ruined beyond repair, the oversized silk shirt was her only option if she wanted any form of clothing. Her master was far from the broadest man she'd ever met, but he was tall, and the fabric swamped her something ridiculous. At least that made it bearably modest in length, even if the collar kept slipping down her shoulders revealing hints cleavage as it did so.

Alucard had promised he'd repair her uniform before they had to go, muttering about protecting her reputation, or some such thing. Secretly Seras suspected he was more interested in keeping her more revealing appearance to himself. Not that she minded. A part of her had always enjoyed the secret intimacy they shared with one another.

She rubbed the silken fabric between her forefinger and thumb, feeling the delicate slip of it against her skin. She wondered if her master would let her keep it, it was ridiculously comfy to sleep in. She found herself longing for the plush interior of her coffin, its luscious interior was far more preferable than the inflexible interior of the ammunitions box. Her coffin also had the added bonus of not smelling of plastic, gun oil and every human in the world who had touched it.

Sighing with acute longing, Seras let the half-empty blood pack hang out her mouth as she stretched out her shoulder, massaging the dull ache in her side s her body protested against her movements. Having her rib ripped out by that morrigan had left its mark. For some reason the bone wasn't re-growing as fast it should have, and the flesh around it wasn't properly closing either.

"Still in pain, police girl?" Alucard reclined back onto his elbows, looking no worse off for the previous evening's battle. He was yet to fully dress himself after waking, his traditional outerwear forgone, his shirt hung open at his neck, revealing smooth porcelain skin, uninterrupted by bruised or cuts like her own.

"In truth, master, it hurts like a bitch". Seras' words were deformed by the blood bag in her mouth. She heard him chuckle, although she was unsure exactly why. He reached a single hand out towards her to tucking an errant strand of hair out of her face, his fingers tracing down the curve of her neck.

"I'm not surprised my little Seras, you fought off quite the attack last night." He looked at her, an intense glimmer settling in the depths of his eyes. "But you fought like a daemon, and you didn't die. An impressive feat for one as young as you."

"Didn't die?" Seras frowned at the lack lustre compliment. "I'd say it was a bit more than that! I won, didn't I?" She finished the blood pack and tossed it aside, a tinge of frustration in her actions. She knew her master was attempting a compliment, but must he be so back handed all the time?

Alucard's lips twitched in amusement, removing his hand from where it touched her. "My dear police girl, are you truly so naive as to consider mere _survival_ a real victory? Look at you. Have you ever seen me in such a state after a battle? You may have outlived your opponent, but your body still bares fresh wounds. And the enemy's plans are still in motion. schemes. Just because you are the only one left standing does not mean you have won the war. There are still many battels ahead of us." His mouth twisted into a sickening grin, and it gave Seras chills just to look at it.

"Is warfare all you enjoy, master?" she asked, her disgust unable to keep her curiosity at bay.

Alucard shifted to look down at her, eyebrows arched in curiosity. ""What a peculiar question, Seras Victoria. I wonder… would you understand the importance of the answer if I gave it to you?".

"Importance?" Seras repeated her eyes searching his own. "I guess it's not that important. I was just curious. That's all". Seras tried to shrug it off, but she got the distinct feeling she had walked into a precariously private part of her masters life. She did this occasionally, asking questions that made him respond in peculiar ways. Normally they were mundane things, the specifics of aout his past, his family and other things she'd ordinarily designate as casual small-talk. Over time she had learnt to avoid certain topics, knowing she'd only find a brick wall and ill will as a response. But there were still times when she'd walk straight into something, and tis appeared to be one of those such instances.

Alucard silently watched her, his eyes unwavering as he scanned her features, as though he were attempting to determine response through a single look. His head tilted slightly as he weighed her words in his mind. Seras could just tell he was making a decision on whether to not to really respond to her question.

"Do you think it is all I enjoy?" He asked, his voice a practiced imitation of innocent curiosity. Seras wondered if he was attempting to mimic her in times like this. She knew of nowhere else he would have heard such a tone of voice. She shook off the thought. Either way he had decided to interrogate her rather than answer her question properly. There was nothing to do now but play along.

"I think… I think that it can't possibly be the only thing.". She said, her voice gentle but sure.

"No? Why is that?" Alucard fully turned towards her now, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he drew closer.

"Well, I just… You've never been so simple as that before. I don't see why you'd be that way now"

"I could be. You've heard people tell many tales of my cruelty, long before you even knew me, Seras Victoria. The name Dracula is infamous around the world.". Alucard was close now, bending so his head was at the same height as her own. He boxed her in, his hands place either side of where she sat on the crate. "I'm a monster. It would make sense for me to enjoy war, crave it even."

"True." Seras said, nervous by his sudden closeness. "But it's not all you enjoy. You enjoy blood, and reading old books. I've seen you play chess with Integra and Walter sometimes. You like mixing your blood with wine, and you seem to enjoy tormenting me when you can." Seras let out a shy laugh realising the mundane nature of her examples, but Alucard only seemed further entertained by her words.

"Tormenting you?". He asked leaning in closer, his voice was filled with temptation and a delicious vibrato. He was close enough that Seras could smell the fresh blood on his breath and the earthy spice of his skin. She gnawed at her lower lip and felt her lower body shudder at the thoughts of wrapping her leges around his waist and pulling him closer. The urge to respond to his closeness filled her veins and Seras reached forward, gently gripping his arm.

Alucard followed her lead and leant into her neck, his breath heavy as he gently nibbled on her delicate skin, his tongue dancing along the bitemark he'd left there.

"I think it is you who torment me, Seras." His voice was low and gruff, his hair masking his face as his bites became harsher. Seras felt his fangs sink into flesh causing a delightful rush of pleasure to shoot through her, a small moan escaped her mouth.

Alucard drank little of his fledgling's blood, taking his time as the droplets spilled into his mouth. He enjoyed the way she moaned and pressed herself against him, wrapping her legs around his waist as her head lolled back in pleasure. He would have happily remained that way for hours, feeling her extasy building, tasting the sweet tang of her blood on his tongue, but Seras was impatient for more, her hips grinding against his own.

She pulled back an inch, only to plant a feverish kiss on his lips. The warmth of it was an unexpected pleasure to the older vampire, but he instantly adored the feeling, and returned it threefold, battling to gain control against his fledgling's desire. His hands moved to her legs, pushing the hem of the shirt upwards, exposing the bare flesh of her inner thighs and buttocks. His hands glided slowly over her curves, creating delicate bursts of pleasure through his fledglings body.

"Master…please" She panted, her words a simple plea for more. Alucard, growled in desire and his hands tore at her shirt, the buttons bursting open to reveal her bare breasts to him. He ducked his head down, locking his lips around one nipple, whilst his fingers gently teased the other. He let his fangs graze over the sensitive flesh of her breast, enjoying the sweet moans of pleasure that escaped Seras' throat. His fingers pinched her exposed nipple as he did so, waiting for her to beg for more before he let his touch become sharper, edging her towards the delectable place between pleasure and pain.

Seras' hand moved to her pussy, letting her fingers rub against the wet flesh of her core. Her fingers glided towards her clit, the sharp spike in pleasure causing her hips to buck against her own gentle touch. She found herself gently falling backwards, unable to hold her body up against the waves of pleasure. As her back pressed against the solid surface of the box, she felt Alucard's lips leave the tender skin of her breast, and trail down across her belly, leaving phantom kisses in their wake.

Once he reached the crux of her hip, where her smooth skin met the soft curly hairs of her pubic bone, Alucard cast his eyes up towards hers, his glimmering burgundy irises begging for permission to continue. Seras gave a small nod, and let her head roll back as Alucard got down to his knees and straddled her legs on either side of his head.

He let her fingers continue their efforts, but his long, devilish tongue followed their movements closely, teasing her. Occasionally he would let his tongue flick upwards, using it to trace circles against her clit, bringing her to new hights. Her fingers moved to stroke his downy soft hair, encouraging him deeper, her hips working in rhythm with his movements.

His own fingers took over where hers had once been, stroking her most sensitive areas as his tongue darted inside of her, its movements rapid and electrifying. She felt him reach deeper, pressing against the softest part of her walls. Her head filled with sparks of lighting and she let out a loud cry of extasy as he brought her to her peak. For a moment she felt her whole body rush with energy, her limbs becoming weak as the sensations rushed through her.

Alucard stayed inside a little longer, letting her enjoy the lingering pleasure of her high. But eventually he pulled away, his hands resting either side of her quivering body as he smiled down at her.

"Are you satisfied, my sweet?" His voice was smooth, but caried the undeniable husk of lust. Seras tried to speak, but her tongue felt heavy, and her brain seemed unable to form words. It was not her first orgasm, she'd experimented enough by herself to experience the feeling before, but she had never had to speak so immediately afterwards. It was proving to be somewhat more difficult than she expected.

Alucard arched his eyebrow, his smile becoming a more self-satisfied with every passing second. "Have I rendered you speechless then?". Seras couldn't help but giggle at his almost playful nature.

"Not quite" She said, taking a luxuriously deep breath as she sat up. Instinctively she went to rest her hands atop of his, but she faltered just before she touched him, unsure if that was allowed. This certainly hadn't been their first flirtatious encounter, those had been happening for a while now, but this was the first one that had gotten so sexual. She knew this changed things; she just wasn't sure how. Deciding to play it safe she interlaced her fingers, and placed them in her lap instead, tugging the hem of her shirt down so it covered her again.

Silence hung between the two vampires, neither one certain of the next move. Both craved to renew the passion they had felt, but with every seconded that passed by, the more it felt to be nothing but a brief, feverish dream. Seras' head was held high, but her gaze was focused on the settling frown of her master, unable to meet his questioning gaze.

"Did I do something wrong Seras?". His voice was calm, but carried a tightness that Seras couldn't quite place. His fingers moved to trace against her cheek, his touch careful and gentle.

"No." She said, "It is just that, well, I am unsure what this all means". Seras fought to look her master in the eye. "I don't know what to do afterwards, what to expect. I have desire for you, but I don't understand if you feel the same for me."

Alucard laughed. "I think it is very clear I desire you, Seras"

"For now, yes. But…but is this just some passing entertainment for you?"

"Is it not entertaining for you my dear?" He smirked bent over, once more planting a kiss on the curve of her neck.

Seras shivered in delight, but didn't drop her query. She was growing tired of them being met only with further questions of his own. "That is not a clear answer, Alucard." She stated, trying not to sound to heady.

"But it is a perfectly good question, don't you think Seras?" he slowly moved his lips upwards, planting kisses along her neck and letting his fangs gently tease her skin.

"muh… master" Seras spoke between heavy breaths, her mind was fogging, as she became in serious danger of losing her train of thought. "You're making it hard to think", she stammered out as he moved his tongue to suck at the lobe of her ear.

"Flattery will get you everywhere my darling". Alucard's words were so heavy, and his pet name so gently, Seras almost believed his infatuation to be real. She could already feel the ache between her thighs grow stronger and she had to fight against her baser urges, gently pushing him back, just enough to see into his eyes.

She could see lust hanging heavy in his eyes, his red irises shining like a beacon of allure in the dinge of the basement. But there was something else there too, a need, a deep and old desire that was far too obscured to make sense of. She could feel his mind slithering against her own, testing her defences, constricting her barriers, but never quite breaking through. He wanted to know what she was thinking, but he was being unceremoniously patient with her, almost polite. In the past he would have pierced her mind to find answers, but now he silently watched her. For some reason, that fact alone, unsettled her more than the acts they had already shared. Clearly there was something going on behind her master's crimson gaze, but Seras knew she was not equipped to find it out just yet. And she found herself internally vowing to find out what it was before allowing him to continue.

Alucard's expression shifted slightly, as if sensing her thoughts and knowing that their little game had come to an end. Uncurling his fingers from his fledgling's hair, he stood up straight and took a few steps backwards, allowing them both a moment to compose themselves. It was easy enough for him to summon his usual clothes through the use of his umbral magic, but Seras made no attempt of her own. He stood before her, fully dressed, in his red overcoat, hat and white glove, but she could only jump off the tall box she'd sat on and stare up at him expectantly, hoping he'd keep his earlier promise to summon some clothes for her.

He sighed. "I would have thought you were capable of such things by yourself by now, police girl. What would you do if I were not here? Ride in the back of the truck half naked?" He laughed at his own joke, but a small corner of his chest kicked up a fuss at the imagined scene. Something about the idea made anger curl and the deeper pits of his mind. The emotion was ignored easily enough, but its existence still puzzled him.

Seras, for her part, seemed unaware of his internal thoughts, and merely pouted at his lewd remark. "I would borrow something from one of the team, or nick some clothes from the houses upstairs, or something like that!". She didn't yell, but the indignation in her voice was clear, and he could see two pink blush spots appear on her cheeks. Clearly she was no fan of his teasing, which only made it more fun for him.

"And how would you manage that?" he continued, "You'd still have to walk upstairs, police girl".

"I'd shadow walk, I've done it a thousand times, and you know it! I did it down in the village!" She crossed her arms in a huff, causing the shirt to open wider and reveal her breasts. Even in the time they'd had to sort themselves, Seras couldn't re-attach the buttons he had ripped off.

"Strange you can do _that_ , and not manage something so simple as clothing…" Alucard mused as he dipped his head down, hiding his face behind the wide brim of his hat. "Watch closely, Police girl, and perhaps you might learn something"

He held out one of his hands, with his palm pointed downwards, his fingers arched as darkness grew and collected between them. It hung in the air, heavy and slick, before it became too heavy to hold itself together, and it dripped down to the floor, pooling like black blood on the dirty stones. Seras watched in fascination as the liquid shimmered on the floor, the vibrations becoming faster and faster until it split into thin fibrous strands, but they still retained their fluidity. It was hauntingly beautiful.

"My powers manifest like sand, but yours… yours looks like hair, but its alive!" She commented, clearly enthralled by his demonstration. Her attention was so effortlessly gained, and Alucard couldn't help but chuckle.

"So easily entertained, fledgling of mine." He continued to weave the strands together. Ordinarily this process would have been long over by now, but he kept it slow, allowing Seras to observe as he stitched the garment together, hoping she would find the demonstration more instructional. Her own shadows moved by her feet, the small tendrils absently imitating his own. He doubted she was even aware of their movements.

Eventually the shape of her uniform began to appear, the deep burgundy fabric pulling itself together until it hung complete in his shadows. Alucard let it hang for a second, before withdrawing his powers and letting the garment fall into his fledglings awaiting arms.

"I hope you payed attention, this is the last time I do this for you police girl. I will instruct, but such things are well within you capabilities, and are therefore your own responsibility." His tone was as close to instructional as it ever got, with a slightly cold, if not entirely dispassionate resonance to his words. Seras, still marvelled by the display, merely nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes Master, thank you." She went to change, but froze after the first button was undone, looking up to her masters entrancing gaze. "You may leave now", she murmured, not wishing to sound impolite.

"Oh I _may_ , may I?" Alucard smirked but was already gathering his shadows to leave. "You are no royal to instruct me on what I may do Seras. Not yet." And with that his body soaked into the darkness, and Seras felt his spirit leave along with it. She traced his tendrils as they skittered and moved upstairs, settling together in the Livingroom of the cottage above him. He must have fully formed up there, as no sooner than she felt him become whole again, did she hear a few yelps from her men, no doubt surprised to see her master so suddenly.

"What on earth does he mean by not yet?", she asked herself, shrugging when she could think of no sensible answer. She hurriedly got changed, careful not to leave any evidence of their presence in the basement. She briefly wondered what to do with her ruined uniform and the shirt Alucard had lent her. She had expected her master to take, or destroy them, but he hadn't. She couldn't leave either one behind, as they would count of evidence of them being at the village, which broke at least three protocols she could think of and likely a few more she couldn't. She settled for stuffing them into her own go-bag, along with the empty blood packs and the last few rounds of her ammunition. The men had recovered the pistol she had dropped, but the shotgun had been buried in the landslide when she fell through the earth.

"Sir Integra will be upset no doubt". Seras cringed as she thought about all the paperwork that would have to be done when they got back. If there was one thing she wished had stayed in her human life, it had ben paperwork. But sadly bureaucracy had followed her into death. Even Alucard was forced to give reports, but his were written by hand or given in debriefing interviews, rather than typed like her own. Seras had never asked why, but she supposed he either wasn't able to work the computer, or wasn't trusted with one.

She finished packing fairly quickly, carefully placing her Harkonnen within the large crate she and Alucard had slept in. A brief blush passed across her cheeks as she recalled the feeling of her masters tongue inside her as she was splayed on top of that box. A pleasant chill spread across her body and she fought to thwart it. She slung her rucksack full of clothes and ammunition, over her shoulder and levitated the crate with her shadows. She could have carried it with relative ease, but it was such a large unwieldy thing that, in such tight spaces, her powers needed to be used.

When she eventually got upstairs the troupe was nearing the end of the move out process. The major communications station and been dismantled, with a couple of long range satellite phones being all that was left out. There was a steady stream of people bustling about, all of whom were studiously avoiding the corner of the room that Alucard had chosen to haunt. His head was tilted enough that his hat almost completely obscured his face, and his shadows curled menacingly about his feet. He acknowledged her arrival with a brief twitch of his chin, and gentle graze against her mind, before returning to his gothic brooding.

The privates were mostly outside, packing the various crates and bags into the back of the jeeps. Some joked, others remained silent and mournful, the loss of their comrades weighing on their minds. They quickly relieved her of her bag, careful not to touch her shadows when they went to grab the crate. It took four of them to struggle it out of the door, and a further two to lift it into the back of the Jeep. Sometimes Seras forgot how strong she was compared to the humans in her company.

Lieutenant Rodgers and Sargent Coleman were gathered in the kitchen, severe frowns on their brows, their eyes alert but strained. Seras knew that look. Integra must have made contact with them.

The draculina didn't have to wait long to find out why. Rodgers threw one of the remaining phones at her, his tired eyes showing a mix of anger and concern.

"Sir Hellsing is on the line for you Captain. I'll warn ya' she doesn't sound pleased.". Seras felt her stomach drop, wondering exactly what had put her iron maiden of a boss in a foul mood this evening. Taking a deep breath she lifted the receiver to her ear and spoke.

"This is Captain Victoria speaking, you wanted to talk to me Sir?".

"Finally, Seras." Integra's voice was distant on the line, but the vampiress could tell it was strained. "I have a new briefing for you"

"A new briefing, Sir? But I'm not even done here yet, I haven't done the paperwork, I'm still at-"

"I am perfectly aware of your circumstances." Integra cut the girl off before she could finish her nervous ramble. "You're done enough for me, and as for the paperwork, utilise your team. Delegate when necessary police girl." Seras pouted at the terse response but didn't say anything. Integra continued; "Alucard has informed that you found an interesting artifact during you mission, a talking skull?"

"Yes ma'am"

"I want you to investigate this thing, it's been one of far too many things to make its way out of extinction. There has been a rise in attacks all across Europe, Anderson has even let slip that the Vatican is having issues containing them." There was a brief change in the static, and Seras briefly caught the words ' _I never'_ and ' _lying protestant'_ in the background of the call before there was a loud crash and the line returned to calm regulated white nose.

"Sir Integra?" She asked nervously. Rodgers and Coleman watched her intently, even Alucard shifted slightly, his head turning slightly, an indication he was listening just as closely to their shared masters voice as she was.

"I am perfectly well!" came the exasperated voice of the Hellsing heir. "I am merely stuck in this hotel, alone with that _bloody catholic bastard_ , and for some reason he believes himself entitled to listen to _my private ruddy phone calls_!" Seras felt a small rush of wind through the hairs on the back of her neck, and saw Alucard suddenly inches away from her, his own ear hovering near the speaker of the phone. Seras knew he didn't need it but she shifted the phone so he could hear better, clearly he was interested in what his master had to say. Coleman and Rodgers did their best not to jump out of their skin at the elder vampires sudden movement, nor look too concerned by Seras' worried face.

"Are you okay Sir?" Seras asked down the phone, trying to ignore the men around her.

"Oh I'm spectacular!" Integra's tone had become sarcastic now, and Seras got the feeling her boss wasn't really talking to her anymore. "I go on one, simple reconnaissance mission, and my two bodyguards get arrested, the recon site gets blown up, and I'm stuck laying low with the goddamn catholic priest!" There was some subsequent yelling on the line, most of it carried a Scottish burr and almost all of it was swear words.

"You're lying low, with him!? Where are your guards? Do you need us there ma'am?" Seras felt her dread set in full, and was surprised to find Alucard was not upset at all, but was in fact smiling.

"Yes, agent Victoria, I am. And no, I don't need you or Alucard here. Best let me work things out on my own" There was a crackle and Integra shuffled into a whisper. "Plus I reckon the Vatican is hiding something. Anderson clearly knows more than he's letting on, but even then he doesn't have all the answers. I'm best sticking with him till I work out more, plus if I leave Ireland right now, we'd never be let back in. That's why I need you and Alucard to do some research in the Hellsing library. Follow up about this skull and its damn prophecy. Oh, and see if anything like mass Midian uprisings have been accounted before. I need you training the men and squashing uprisings where they occur on British soil. I want this back in hand Seras Victoria."

"Yes ma'am, on it as soon as we get back to the mansion."

"Good." Integra's voice returned to a normal level. "And don't let Alucard push you around whilst I'm not at the mansion", she continued "I know he likes to torment you at the slightest chance, but don't let him get to you. Call me as soon as he starts doing anything out of the ordinary. I don't trust that aged old vampire as far as I can throw him."

Sera's slowly turned to look at her master, her eyes wide as her tongue darted over her lips. Alucard watched her movements from the corner of his vision, a fanged leer covering his face. He wasn't even trying to hide his amusement now. Seras bit back an alarmed squeak at the look.

"Yes sir" she said into the phone, "I'll let you know as soon as he does something.". She tried to maintain her militant tone, but a small tremor had worked its way into her words at some point. There was a brief pause on the line before Integra spoke again.

"He's doing something right now isn't he?"

"No, sir" Seras lied. Alucard smiled and steeped into her space, forcing her to take one step backwards. Rodgers and Coleman collectively stiffened, their shoulders squaring, preparing to stand up to the monster before them. Seras found it a sweet, if unwaveringly stupid idea of them to even try.

"Do not lie Police Girl." Integra's voice rang into her ear. "Or do you forget I have known your master long enough to know exactly what he is doing?".

"Yes sir, I mean no sir. I mean-" Seras was cut off again by the symbols on the back of Alucard's gloves suddenly glowing red. There was the gradual hum as the gloves grew brighter, and a sizzling sound as they burnt his hands. Smoke rose and the brief aroma of ash and frying flesh filled the air before Alucard stepped backwards from his fledgling and the gloves returned to normal. A scowl now coated his otherwise handsome face and the two humans visibly relaxed at his restraint. Secretly Seras was relived. It did no one any good to start a fight so early in the evening.

The call with Integra wrapped up fairly quickly after that. She barked a few more orders at both Seras and her master, before the phone was passed back to Lieutenant Rodgers. Alucard left in a pool of sizzling shadows, emerging outside where he scared the younger privates out of their skins, likely on purpose. Seras felt her heart go out to them, her masters moods were foul enough at the best of times, and now he had been told off. That never made him happy.

"You driving back with us mum?" Rodgers asked, pulling her attention away from Alucard.

"Hmm? Oh. Well ordinarily I would say yes, I love riding up top whilst we drive in the rain, but boss lady wants me back asap for some research and stuff. Quickest way is to teleport with my master I'm afraid."

"Are you sure?" Rodgers eyes twitched, a sympathetic but uncomfortable look on his face. "I know you're strong enough to stand up to Big Red out there, but he clearly enjoys tormenting you. Is it wise to go alone with him?"

"Oh he won't hurt me, Integra's made him perfectly aware of his boundaries in that department. Plus we're only technically alone for like a second or so. Once we're in the mansion it'll be like it always is." She patted her friends hand, attempting to look reassuring. "Don't you worry Rodgers. I know how to handle him"

"If you say so mum. If you say so".

And with that the troupe finished packing up, and packed themselves up in the jeep. They waved off their captain as she was soaked into her masters darkness, disappearing before their eyes. They had mostly got used to the sight, but it still left many of them with a sinking feeling in their chests. Without a further word they drove away from the cottages, leaving the village, and the mission that happened there, far behind.


	20. Book Reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah! I return. Sorry for the long wait, life is busy and this chapter took a HOT SEC. Deffo one of my faves though. I see a few new readers and I would just like to say hello to all! I love seeing how many people enjoy reading my fic, I genuinely never thought anyone would enjoy reading this, and yet lo, there are so many of you! As always, leave a review if you can, I love hearing your guy's thoughts! It really makes me want to write more! I'll see you in the next one, (hopefully that will come out sooner than this one). Ciao xx

* * *

**Chapter 20 – Book Reading.**

* * *

Seras sighed as she closed another large book, gently placing it on the cushions of the leather sofa she was curled up on. She had been forced into endless reading for hours now, and the tedious mix of frustration and boredom had well and truly set in. She stared at the open laptop on the coffee table before her, watching the cursor flash rhythmically on the screen as she reviewed her lengthy document. Her eyes were stinging from staring at it for so long, only serving to worsen her foul mood

Unlike her, Alucard seemed to be in an unusually good mood this evening. Seras had expected that, after the tongue lashing Integra had given him, Alucard would be pouting something awful, but instead he had been wearing an arrogant smirk ever since they had returned from the mission. She suspected it had something to do with his earlier activities that evening, namely what had passed between them in that cottage basement.

Seras felt herself blushing and she attempted to hide it by turning away to look out one of the tall windows that here housed in Hellsing's grand library. Despite residing at the mansion fro nearly nine years now, she had never quite been able to grasp the vast wealth of the aristocratic class. It seemed ridiculous to her for a home to even have one library, never mind having enough to name one the 'grand library', of all things.

She watched the night sky, as she turned her thoughts back to her master. He had teleported them both back to the mansion in record time. Her men wouldn't arrive back until the daylight hours now, so she had been left alone in his company. But despite her expectations her master was being usually polite.

Ordinarily, when they were alone in each other's company, he'd find some way to torment her. In previous teleportation's he'd enjoyed making the trip purposefully rough, making her motion sick. Or he'd leave her stranded on the roof, forcing her to find her own way down without a door or stairs to help her. But this evening, Alucard had been pleasant, downright cordial even. He had escorted her to her rooms, not stepping inside, instead telling her to change and meet him in the library when she was ready. The whole thing set her on edge. What game was he playing this time? For the life of her she couldn't keep up with all his scheming.

Once she'd finally arrived at the library, dressed in leggings and a comfortable black t-shirt, she had found both Alucard and Walter waiting for her. Her master was already reclined in a suitably gothic-looking, high-backed leather chair, a glass of blood-wine mix in one hand, and an old, well-worn tome in the other. He wore a sardonic smile, one that only grew when she entered. Walter, on the other hand wore a stern frown, no doubt having caused by a tedious conversation with Alucard.

Her master seemed at home in such surrounding, the chair especially emphasising his kingly nature, although she'd never let him know that. Perhaps that was why he always sat in that gigantic chair of his?

There had been a brief, awkward pause upon her arrival, but it diffused so quickly she had only assumed that she'd imagined it. Walter's face settled into its customary smile, and he walked her in the direction of the library that was largely in English. He piled numerous volumed into hr arms and left her with strict instructions to look for any information concerning the reawakening of extinct midians or prophecies relating to them. He had also handed her a laptop for notes as well as a paper and some pencils 'just in case', before he swiftly left, shooting a passing glance at Alucard before he disappeared into the hall, closing the grand oak doors behind him.

That had been more than a few hours ago and now Seras could barely see straight for all the reading she'd done. She saved her work and snapped the lid of the laptop closed, the noise making her master glance up from his book. He gave the device a slight glare, watching her closely as she slumped back into the sofa cushions, her fingers massaging her temples.

"Ran out of patience already police girl?" Alucard almost sounded disinterested, but Sears knew him well enough to recognise the fronted tone. He was mocking her. He rarely did anything else; especially when he was also getting bored.

"Ugh, master we've been here for hours now and I've found fuck all. We'd have more luck if we had Delma with us. She was the one who gave the prophecy right? Why couldn't we have just asked her about it then? Seras had been forced to leave the skull behind with her men, and she'd been pouting about it since. She knew it was technically protocol, but something about it didn't sit right with her. Delma would now be monitored 24/7, by the humans in Hellsing's private lab, offsite. Until Integra herself cleared the skull of any suspicion Seras knew she would be unable to question Delma for days.

All this research seemed pointless without anything solid to compare it to. She couldn't understand everyone's sudden preoccupation with these books either. She'd never had to do this before. All her previous missions had been was the familiar mix of strategic hunts for midians, and their eventual extermination. Occasionally one mission might stick out as particularly challenging or eventful, but if she was honest, they were all beginning to blend together these days. What made this one so special?

"It just feels so pointless." She grumbled. "Delma could just tell us and then we could sort it out from there!" Seras huffed, annoyance taking over her body.

Alucard said nothing but shifted to peer at her over his tinted glasses. She twitched under her master's weighty gaze, running her hands over her face in an attempt to hide from it. She could hear his unspoken questions sitting at the fringes of her mind. _'Have you forgotten the dangers of strange creatures so soon?'. 'What if it lies to you?'. 'What would you do then?'. 'Are you so arrogant in your own abilities that you'd walk towards a trap with a closed mind?'._

She could feel his thoughts toying with their mental link, like a niggling, irritating itch. Seras would have ordinarily called them intrusive, but the sly touch of his mind brought back images of what had happened in the basement only hours before. She clenched her jaw, as the memory of his tonged and fingers washed through her mind. Not for the first time that evening, she fortified her mental barriers, unwilling to let an errant thought in or out. In that moment Seras didn't know where she stood with Alucard, and she wasn't foolish enough to think that he was above playing mind games, just because her feelings might get hurt in the process.

Sitting forward, she eyed her master, a thousand questions on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to ask him about what had happened in that basement, about what it had meant between them and how it changed things. But a taut coil of dread and disquiet had settled in her stomach, squeezing tighter with every attempt she made to voice her thoughts. She swallowed, pushing it all to a part of her mind she could easily ignore. She was too much of coward to ask, and Alucard was unlikely to become magnanimous enough to tell her. She'd just have to live with disappointment then.

She stood, cracking her back, wandering over to one of the shelves furthest from her master. This probably counting as running away, but she didn't much care, she just wanted a distraction from her own mind and the boredom of the reading.

The library was a large room, that boasted heavy set furniture and looming bookshelves. It was split by a small mezzanine level which held even more towers of books and cosy reading nooks. The room was one of the few in the mansion that hadn't had electric lights properly installed, favouring Victorian oil lamps, candles and an open fire for sources of illumination . To Seras' recollection there were only a handful of such rooms left in the mansion, most of them being contained in Alucard's portion of the basement, and none of them were as welcoming as the library. The heavy drapes, and comfy chairs made the room feel both grand and homely at the same time. Seras had, more than once, found herself snuggled under a blanket, before the marble fireplace, her nose stuck in one of her own romance novels. She had no practical need for the blanket or fire, being already dead and mostly unbothered by cooler temperatures, but she refused to live like an animal just because she technically could.

She shook such thoughts away, rubbing her eyes as the brief waves of exhaustion began to set in. Alucard was no longer watching her, and she took the brief reprieve to scan the book spines before her, attempting to find some distraction in their names. Many were in English, with titles such as " _Monsters and Midians, slayers guide to vanquishing"_ and " _Demonology and Arcane studies"._ Seras surmised, both by the size of such books, and the age of the binding that they would be far from easy readings. She hoped they found whatever information they were supposed to, before she was forced to read those ones.

Walking along she moved from section to section, mentally categorising which books might prove useful, which that would not; and which ones were entirely beyond her comprehension altogether.

The bookshelves was marked out by series of small engraved bronze plaques, each one different than the last. Some were simple, marking out books on the geography of Britain, various hunting manuals as well as the numerous journals the Hellsing heirs had created over the years. Other sections were more specific, categorising different branches of magic, species investigations and monster studies. A large section was designated to vampires, and Seras wondered how much of it was simple notes on observations and how much was detailed ways in which to kill her kind.

She paused as she passed them, letting her fingers trace a few of the spines. The collection seemed to be crammed in, newer books stacked horizontally on top of older ones. It looked more like a hoarder's collection than an actual formal archive. She wondered if any of these books contained information on her master. Perhaps she would sneak in here and read a few when Alucard wasn't around. Maybe she might learn something he might not tell her otherwise

Her eyes slid over to his chair. From this position, she was diagonally in front of him, mahogany tables stacked high with books and leather couches filling the space between them. Although his gaze was firmly locked on the manuscript before him, Seras could tell he was keeping tabs on her wanderings. Even as he turned the page and took a deep sip of his wine, never once looking up, she knew he was watching her closely. It felt like ice was growing across her skin, trying to root her in place. She moved on, her steps falling slightly faster than necessary, not wanting to dwindle on the sensation any longer.

It wasn't until she got to the final set of bookshelves that Seras realised she had circled back to her master's portion of the library. She paused, wondering if she could avoid it, claim it contained nothing of use. She looked up, trying to find the plaque, making sure to stay at least four feet from her master at all times. It was a large section, and seemed to split up into lots of smaller sections, most of which were in German rather than the English she had come to expect. She was almost free when she saw one section, not more than a foot away from her master's chair labelled: ' _Prophecies and Divinations'._

Seras scowled. "Of course that's where it is" she groaned to herself.

She slowly edged forwards, trying to get close enough to read the spines without actually getting close to Alucard. This behaviour, however, was somewhat counterproductive as it clearly displayed her discomfort and thus opened an avenue for her master to tease her.

"So skittish this evening, kitten. Are you avoiding me perchance?" Alucard's tone was rich and full of provocative intent; it sent electric trills all along Seras' skin.

"No." She answered in a short squeaky tone. Alucard's smile widened and he leant casually on one arm, the book in his lap entirely forgotten.

"No?" He drew the word out, his lips parting slightly, revealing the barest hint of fang. Seras felt her chest flutter as her heartbeat pulsed in places that were not strictly appropriate for such places as her bosses library.

"I have no reason to avoid you.", she stated, trying her best to sound more convincing than she felt. Her hands found themselves behind her back, fingers tightly wound together, fidgeting more with every passing second that her master looked directly at her.

Alucard took her squirming as an invitation to tease her further, and he stood, snapping his book closed and placing his wine on a side table in a single sweeping movement. He paced towards her, taking his time as he closed the small space between them. Seras held her breath forcing her feet to remain where they stood as the urge to run and hide fought furiously against the urge to meet him halfway and finish what they had started earlier that evening.

"Your mind is in such turmoil, Police girl" Alucard towered above her. "Even with your mind so fortified against my own I can feel your distress. I do hope I am not the cause. I would be sorry to upset you so.". His smile became wicked as he bent forward to her height, one arm braced against the bookshelves behind her. Seras suspected he wasn't sorry at all.

"M-master" She stammered out. "You're awfully close". A small blush spread across her cheeks. With him like this, she couldn't help but recall the exhilarating feel of being at his mercy. Part of her deeply cried out for him and the rest of sane mind was fighting a losing battle against it.

Alucard planted a series of light kisses down her neck, taking his time as her reached her ever-present bit mark. Seras gasped, her hands unwinding to bury in his shirt, pulling him closer.

Almost instantly Alucard became more intense, her eagerness fuelling his apparent lust. His free arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her up to his level, whilst his other tangled itself in her hair. His mouth clamped over hers, and he kissed her like a man completely starved of touch. Her legs wrapped around him as he pinned her against the bookshelf. Alucard groaned, closing his eyes as she playfully bit his lower lip.

Seras indulged in the heated kisses, letting her mouth open to his tonged. She could taste the sweetness of the mine mixed with the decadent tang of blood. Bucking her hips, she delighted as his hands roamed over her thighs and ass, leaving her panting and increasingly damp in her most intimate areas. He began gently biting at her neck again and she couldn't stop the whimper that left her mouth. The scent lulled her closer as she kissed him, her touch growing more heated the longer she stayed there

She briefly remembered that the library was perhaps not the best location in all of the mansion to indulge in such behaviour, but then Alucard moved his attention to her breasts and she found herself suddenly distracted from all rational thought.

Alucard delighted in her response, his fingers flexing s, enjoying the sumptuous curves of her body. He opened his mouth, encouraging Seras with his teeth and tongue. He began to pull at her t- shirt, growling hungrily as pulled it over her head, exposing her bra to his touch. The delicate lace flattered her pale skin so beautifully. He took his time enjoying the sight, before pulling it down, exposing her nipples. Instantly he bent forward, sucking on the pink peaks, encouraged by her whimpers and groans.

Seras gasped for air as she felt his tongue trace along her breasts, his hand slowly gliding upwards to gently curl around her neck. She leaned into his grip, encouraging him to apply pressure, enjoying the feel of being under his power. She watched his fangs grow sharp, his eyes darkening with desire, falling under her spell as she worked to unbutton his clothing

The cravat caused her to fumble slightly, but she eventually threw it aside, savouring the victory of uncovering the small amount of bare flesh at his neck. She pulled his shirt open and ran her hands down his abdomen, enjoying every inch. He let go of her throat, pulling her into a tongue filled kiss, pressing her breasts against his chest. Seras released her hold on his shoulders, bracing herself on the bookshelf as he pulled back to pull his shit completely off. She couldn't help but notice the pronounced, bulge now in his trousers and her chest thrummed in excitement.

Alucard's hands slid up her legs, grunting in frustration.

"Not that I don't appreciate women in tight trousers, Seras, but I must say prefer the traditional access that skirts allow." His voice was horse as his thumbs moved to stroke the sensitive part of her inner thigh through her leggings "Perhaps next time I'll make sure to catch you in your uniform."

Seras whimpered, her head lolling back in pleasure. Her eyes fluttered closed as he kissed the nape of her neck, his fangs grazing the smooth skin, bringing droplets of blood to the surface. His mouth was quick against her skin, sucking up the blood bruising the skin as he ran his tongue savoured the arterial nectar. Oh that tongue! It seemed to roam everywhere at once, causing the most euphoric sensations to ripple through her as he drank her blood.

"Alucard" she moaned, feeling his gloved hands move further upwards. She felt them skate across her hips leaving a burning heat of desire in their wake as her master panted and groaned before her. He massaged both of her breasts, and Seras buried her fingers into his hair, pulling him into her neck as her hips bucked against him. His teeth dug into her flesh then, drinking deeply, and Seras was overcome with an intense euphoria. She pushed herself into him, wishing to all the gods she knew that he wouldn't stop.

Her shadows appeared around her, tangling wildly with his own. Her mind opened to his, her mind unconsciously, begging to consume his desire, and be devoured in return. His eyes flashed red, his gaze salacious as he withdrew from her neck and looked down at her. She felt their connection swell with an unbearable weight, his longing flooding her mind. Seras let her eyes close in delight, feeling herself drowning in it.

She felt herself suddenly slipp from his grasp, falling backwards from what the euphoria . Her eyes shot open in panic, only to find her vision suddenly obscured by her own shadows. It wasn't until she was a good half meter away from her master that she realised that she was being pulled away from him by some unseen force. This couldn't be happening! How was she even falling? There was supposed to be a bookcase behind her!

Her body jerked to reality as pulled herself out of her own mind, her arms fruitlessly reaching for her master. Alucard, however, didn't seem as worried as she was, wearing a brief expression of amused surprise before it shifted to outright anger. Too late he moved forwards, trying to catch her hand and pull her out of the consuming darkness.

Sera watched the exact moment her master faded away, her body dissolving into a thick inky mass, tinged a deep red, and sticking to her skin like melted plastic.

She could feel no pain, but panic set in. Everything was dark for and for a brief moment, she genuinely thought she had died. But then the brightly lit surroundings of the dining room flashed by. Before she was consumed by the inky darkness again.

_Holy shit!_ She thought. _I'm falling through the mansion. I'm shadow walking!"_ Seras fell through another two rooms before her mind realised she should be more distressed. She began to scream.

She whizzed through a room she briefly recognized as the barracks and her brow furrowed in confusion. The barracks weren't underneath the library, or the dining hall. They were on the other side of the mansion. She couldn't be falling.

She tried to slow her movement, but her shadows were so dispersed it was hard to keep track of which bit of herself she was missing. Only once she was launched about ten feet above the mansion, before being swallowed by a rippling circle of darkness above her did Seras eventually realise what was happening. She wasn't just shadow walking. She was teleporting.

She watched in terror as a few more rooms whizzed by. Integra's office, her own bedroom. Endless empty corridors and abandoned rooms. A few seemed to house servants who were screaming just as loud as she was when she passed through the room like a demonic bullet.

Seras needed this to stop. She wanted it to stop. She sucked in her breath, if only to stop her own screams, and tried to concentrate on her body, imagining herself as a solid mass, rather than this dispersed ball of shadows. She screwed her eyes shut as she pulled the tendrils of darkness together holding them within herself and forcing them to stay together.

The second her body took back its corporeal form she felt her back smack into something hard. It instantly gave way, and there was the brief sound of splintering wood as she smashed into what felt like he hardest floor she had ever come into contact with. Her eyes were still screwed shut and the wind had been knocked out of her. She heard the familiar sound of breaking plates and an orchestra of piercings screams fill the space around her. The smell of food filled her nostrils, the underlying stench of cooked met made her stomach turn.

' _So I'm in the kitchens.'_. Seras cracked open an eye, her sensitive irises burning against the fluorescent over head lights. She sat up, stunned and blinking trying to recognise exactly where she was.

The kitchen was a mess. She had landed squarely in the centre of the grand wooden table that cook used to prepare the officers meals. Splintered wood and broken plates scattered the floor around her. What resembled mash potatoes and gravy was smeared on her thigh, but also all across the walls and along ceiling. She realised she had been half naked when she fell and looked down to find that, at some point, her shadows had the good sense to form her shirt back in place. She let out a small breath, thankful for the small mercies.

"Let's hope I can manifest the clothes for longer than last time" she muttered to herself, remembering the embarrassing outcomes of previous tries.

Fortunately none seemed to have been hurt. Infect anyone around seemed to have fled, but their screams still rang clear as day in her ears. One of the curses of vampiric hearing she supposed.

Footsteps were approaching her thought, hurried ones at that. She already knew exactly who it was before they burst through the door.

Hellsing's chief retainer stared down at her, deadly wires at his fingers, flanked by Wadsworth on his right and Integra's ladies maid, Yvette, on his left, each holding a knife and a tiny pistol respectively.

"Miss Victoria!? Good heavens are you quite all right?" Walter sounded genuinely concerned for her wellbeing, clearly surprised to find her as the centre of such a mess. This had the strange effect of making Seras feel both extremely cared for and guilty at the same time. She'd created an awful mess, and no doubt it would be Walter who'd be cleaning it up.

She smiled up from where she was sprawled on the floor, looking as sheepish as she could with a mouth full of fangs. "Oh yes, perfectly fine Walter!" She attempted to stand, studiously avoiding the long splinters of wood that had previously made up the table she had collided with. "I think the kitchen is worse off than I am…". Seras pulled out a few small splinters from her arm, wondering how lucky she had been to avoid being fully impaled by the table as it shattered. The fragments were essentially rudimentary wooden stakes, and whilst not as deadly as silver bullets, they hurt like a son of a bitch.

Walter sighed and lowered his arms, letting his lethal wires coil back to wherever he concealed them. Wadsworth and Yvette followed his lead. Seras had seen the former with a weapon numerous times, often as part of his training to replace Walter. Wadsworth had no proficiency for the retainer's signature wires, instead favouring complex tripwire traps, and savage looking knives.

Yvette however, seemed usually versed with small pistol in her hand. Seras withed as the woman carefully holstered a tiny pearl handled pistol to her thigh before hiding it under the numerous petticoats of her maid-style outfit. The draculina stored the information to the back of her mind. That was a line of questioning for another time. Right now she had to explain herself, and get this place tidied up before she made it any worse.

"What on God's green earth even happened here?" Wadsworth's voice broke the pensive silence, his utter dismay only serving to make Seras feel all the more remorseful.

"I'm so sorry! I just fell and I ended up here. I promise I'll clean it up!" Seras stumbled over her apology, anxiety growing in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to explain herself properly, but didn't want to tell them exactly how it had happened. In truth she wasn't entirely sure herself.

Walter, however, only waved his hand at her dismissively, before rubbing at his temples.

"No no, that's quite all right Miss Victoria. I think you've done more than enough damage for one evening, thank you very much." Seras whined slightly but one sharp look from the retainer had her silenced. Realising the futility of arguing with a man so intent on housekeeping she skulked into a relatively clean corner of the kitchen, and worked on removing the mashed potato from her person, with a handkerchief Yvette handed her.

She watched silently as the trio began the clean-up process, feeling utterly rotten. The screaming had stopped, and the staff that had recovered from the hysterics slowly filed back into the room, each with some form of cleaning equipment in hand.

Every time Seras offered to help someone, they just waved her away, ushering back into her corner where she wouldn't cause trouble. She cursed out her master, she wasn't sure exactly how, but he was defiantly to blame for all of this!

It was at this precise moment that a dark stain appeared on the floor beside her. It quivered alarmingly, the surface moving as though it had a mind of its own. It wasn't long before a large shadow grew out of it, towering above her, wearing a familiar wide-brimmed hat. Alucard smirked down at her, his usual heir of arrogant amusement staining the sir around him. He too had reformed his clothing, though this time he' produced his outer wear too. Seras wondered why that was. Was he hiding something?

A few of the staff seemed startled by his foreboding, and sudden appearance, but most did their level best to avoid looking at him entirely. Her master certainly wasn't popular with the humans of the mansion, and was often ignored when at all possible.

"I wondered where you ended up". His voice was as rich and heady as it had been in the library. It sent alarming trills down Sera's spine, causing her to fidget slightly. He bent forward then, invading her space as his face came alarmingly close to her own. "Don't you know it's rude to leave without finishing a conversation?". Seras felt her face flush, and she stepped back, raising her hands in an attempt to keep him at arm's length.

"Stop! We're in a room full of people!" She said pointedly, in hushed tones. She could feel her shadows begin to wobble in dismay. Alucard chuckled, sending a rumble down his chest and through her fingers that rested there.

"I would, but you make tormenting you so delectably interesting. Do you realise you're blushing police girl?" He moved closer, as if inspecting her like some kind of zoo animal. " I didn't even realise vampires could do that." He gave out a cruel laugh, attracting more than a few stares. Seras could only imagine what they must all think was going on. "What a peculiar creature you are, Seras Victoria" Alucard stated, finally pulling away.

She glared up at him. Between this and his display back the caves the whole mansion would be talking about his behaviour towards her. That was the last thing she needed, all her men viewing her as nothing more than Alucard's lover, a side piece. Seras felt the begging's of a migraine set in as she turned away from her master. She would have thought a creature as old as he was might have learnt something about being covert. But then again subtlety had never been a particularly great skill of Alucard's anyways.

Thankfully Walter appeared to have finally noticed her master's presence, and the retainer took a break from directing the rest of the staff to march towards Alucard, a stern expression his features.

"Alucard". His voice made no attempts to hide his disdain. "I suppose you are in some way responsible for Miss Victoria's sudden…descent upon the kitchen?". Despite being phrased like a question, Seras got the impression Walter was under no disillusion about her master's involvement. Clearly there was something else going on here, and she was clueless as to what it might be. When her master failed to respond she felt the need to peer around his wide frame and answer in his place.

"Really Walter, it's my fault. I was, er, distracted." She waved her hands up in a weak attempt to dissolve the tension.

"Distracted? Is that how you suddenly ended up teleporting into the kitchens, scaring the cooks half to death as you crashed through the table and ruined the soldiers breakfast?"

"Uh…" Seras suddenly felt like she had put her foot in her mouth.

"And tell me what sort of distraction could have caused a woman such as yourself, who was supposed to be doing nothing but reading in the library, to suddenly teleport through the entire mansion?"

"Errrr"

"Surely it must have been something dramatic, no? What is it that can get under your skin, and make you behave in such a manner, Miss Victoria?" Walter turned back towards Alucard; a stern look on his elderly features. "Or should I say, who?".

Seras realised that the rest of the kitchen had now become completely motionless, with all humans turned to watch as the two vampires got chewed out by the elderly retainer. Even Wadsworth, who usually maintained a stalwart appearance, seemed enthralled by the scene. Only her master wore a wide smile, fangs gleaming as he looked down at Walter.

There was a horrid silence as Alucard, and Walter stared each other down. Seras could feel the implicit horizon of violence looming over the room. She didn't know what exactly what was going on between the two men, or what silent conversation was happening between the two, but instinctively she pulled closer to Alucard, her large eyes begging Walter not to aggravate him further.

Her silent pleas seemed to have some affect as the retainer turned away suddenly, releasing the tense atmosphere. The rest of the staff let out a collective breath, understanding that whatever disagreement was happening had passed, and now it was safe to move again.

When Walter spoke again, his voice was softer, and he spoke directly to Alucard.

"You would do well to remember Sir Integra's explicit instructions concerning the Police Girl Alucard. They haven't changed since the day you brought her into this house, and I'll be dammed if you find a way around them whilst I'm around".

"I have not forgotten my masters words Walter. But do not forget that my fledgling has her own free will, and she is not bound by rules and traps placed on myself."

Seras' brows knit together. It was clear something was going on, and she was at the centre of it, but for the life of her she couldn't unpick the meaning of it all. What instructions was Walter on about? And why had her master spoken about her free will like that? Had she done something wrong? She felt that all too familiar coil of dread begin to curl around her insides.

She desperately wanted to ask what the hell was going on, but it didn't take a genius to work out that neither man would give her the answers she wanted. Sometimes it really did feel like she was treated like a child.

Letting out a frustrated huff she stepped past her master, approaching Walter instead.

"I am sorry about the mess." She said, as earnestly as she could. "I promise I will return to studies tomorrow evening, and I won't be distracted"

Walter eyes softened and he rested a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of genuine affection. Seras truly did think of him as a kindly grandfather or uncle. She could understand why Integra had grown so attached to him after all the years in his company.

"I trust you will, Miss Victoria. I merely worry you may get injured should there be another, ahem, distraction of this kind again". Seras tried her best not to blush. She was unsure how much Walter had managed to put together on his own, and she was far too shy to ask him directly.

"If I can't be of assistance, then maybe I could retire to my rooms? I believe it will be sunrise soon, and I'd like to wash up before I sleep." Walter merely nodded and waved her towards the door before turning back to conduct the remaining staff in their clean-up.

Just as she reached the doorway Seras felt, more than heard, her master mental connection flicker against her mind. She paused, looking back at Alucard, his face set in a peculiar expression, almost questioning. Was he was asking if he could accompany her? _Fat chance of that_! She thought. _He's caused more than enough trouble for one evening._

As if hearing her thoughts, Alucard bowed his head and faded back into the darkness that he had emerged from, his smile never slipping from its place. She found that to be most disturbing fact of all. She had expected him to look, upset or something. Disappointed maybe? But he wasn't. He had been perfectly satisfied to let her walk away. After everything, he really didn't seem to care at all.

Why was that? Was she just a passing distraction? Fun, but ultimately not worth pursuing. Or was he just respecting her wishes? He'd never really done that before, so why start now? Why do any of this?

She cursed herself and turned away from the room, marching down to the basement, the sounds of her footsteps echoing along the vacuous corridors and staircases. Whatever it meant, it unsettled her. She should have been more guarded. Alucard had his own motives and she was a fool if she thought they were as frivolous as her own desires.

As she reached her room she let her forehead rest against the cool metal of the door. Whispering a warning to herself.

"Be careful Seras. You're walking face first into a whole heap of trouble"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! I doubt many will read this, but as I was going through my computer I found an old fanfiction I wrote. I can't get into the account anymore, but I was able to read it and, I'll be honest, I'm surprised anyone read it back then. The spelling errors alone are jarring, but it seems quite juvenile now. If any are interested my original work was called 'Welcome to The Family' published back in 2014 on FanFiction.net . I promptly dropped the fan fiction, being young and unable to finish it, but it's still up on the site to read. It's attached to another account name though so good luck finding it. I do still enjoy some of the chapters in the middle, but overall you can tell I was too timid to publish anything with gumption. Anyways, I decided that during quarantine I was in dire need of a distraction and decided to take a few elements that I enjoyed from the original work I wrote, as well as some others I've read over the years. I haven't written in many years, so I apologise if it's not the best. But I endeavour to at least complete this one a little more.


End file.
